Red Heat
by Sciencefictioness
Summary: Eren is one of the few Alphas who go into rut without the presence of an Omega in heat nearby, and after suppressing for nearly two years, the drugs are no longer working. As a last resort he heads to an Omega refuge, hoping to find a suitable temporary, mate. When he finds one lost in a fatal 'red heat', he'll do whatever it takes to ease his suffering. Cover image by Ackergay.
1. Refuge

**Chapter Text**

Eren was stalking around his house, pulling his clothes on with vicious jerks and slamming every door he touched when his phone rang. It took everything in him not to throw it across the room as he picked it up, eying the name that lit the surface with a growl. _Mikasa._ Even just looking at it pissed him off, but she would not relent until he answered, so he swiped his finger across the screen.

"What. Do. You. Want." She had the balls to laugh, and not just because they were on the phone and not face to face. Mikasa would've laughed just as hard standing right in front of him.

"I see they're not working." He rolled his eyes, hitting the wall nearby with his fist hard enough that it would've broken, if it was a normal wall anyway. Instead the wood just shuddered under his fist, and that made him even more furious.

"No, Mikasa, they're not. Is that all you called for?"

"Did you take an extra dose?" Eren growled again, voice vibrating with the clear tones of a threat. If there had been another Alpha present in the room, it would have been an unmistakable challenge, one that could very well end in bloodshed. Even he could smell his scent rising up, sharp and full of unspoken threats.

"I took six extra fucking doses. Any more and I'll start seizing. Now, anything else I can help you with?"

"What are you going to do? They won't let you go into work at the dojo like this. I told you, you should just go to an Omega bar and be done with it." Eren's lip curled in snarl, and he knew if he had been looking in a mirror that his green eyes would be glowing gold, bright with emotion.

"No self respecting Omega goes to a bar like that. They all smell like chemical hormones and heat replicators, along with a dozen other Alphas. I feel nauseated just thinking about it."

"It's your own fault for suppressing yourself for so many ruts in a row. Never even mating once." Mikasa laughed out loud again. "An Alpha virgin, how goddamned ridiculous. Only you could pull some stupid shit like that off, Eren. You had plenty of time to go find a willing Omega for one of your ruts. They may be submissive by nature, but they're not all mindless and mewling, you fucking self righteous ass. You don't have to bond with them, you know." Most Alphas could not go into rut unless there was an Omega in heat nearby, but Eren was one of the ten percent or so who did. Lucky him, he had to deal with his rut every month, which was unheard of. Even the other Alphas he knew that went into rut independently only had to endure it every three or four months. They took suppressants, just like an Omega suppressing a heat, albeit with different hormones. The pills were not designed to be used as often as Eren was forced to use them, however, and after taking them for the last two years in a row it had finally taken its toll. They had grown less and less effective and this time, they were not working _at all._ Not only that, but even in an unsuppressed rut, the urges were usually possible to resist. If you stayed home away from any trace of an Omega, locked yourself away until it passed, it was bearable. Right now?

Eren would be lucky to get to the Omega refuge without taking one off the street in a lust filled daze. He didn't want to mate, didn't want to bond, didn't want to be responsible for an Omega under his care. Eren just wanted to live his life in peace. That was apparently asking too much. He remembered that Mikasa had been talking to him, telling him he could mate with an Omega without forging the bond. _Yeah fucking right._

"Yes, but they all want to. Every fucking one. An Alpha with no trace of an Omega's scent on him, they can't wait to mate and try and seal the bond with me."

"So, your going to the shelter, then?" She sounded condescending, like the very idea was absurd.

"At least there might be an Omega there who's in the same shape as me. Can't suppress anymore, doesn't want some whore of an Alpha that stinks like fake Omega mating pheromones, can't go much longer without a mating. I have a chance of actually getting away with a one time mating there, instead of having someone trailing after me for weeks on end, conveniently coming to find me when their next heat is on them." She tisked at him. Fucking _tisked._

"Well, whatever. I just wanted to make sure you hadn't killed anyone, and that you knew better than to try to go to work that way. I'll see you in a week. If you're not in jail for murder, anyway."

She hung up before he could reply, and that was just as well, because nothing that he could say would properly reflect the vicious fury rolling through him. He stood at his door, holding the knob and trying to will the roiling emotions down inside him, making a futile attempt to reign in the scents he was giving off in waves. If he couldn't get his pheromones to ease back a little, people would be scurrying away from him in the streets, and every Alpha he passed would be trying to pick a fight with him. Normally it was easy for him to resist a brawl, but right now only blood on his hands or an Omega underneath him was going to settle these instincts at all, and the former only temporarily. When he finally threw the door open to step outside, a wave of scent assaulted him, full of submission. Eren started to growl, narrowing his eyes at the tiny blonde Omega before him, barely a couple of days off from her heat.

"Historia. What the fuck are you doing." He met her wide eyes, and she was biting her lip, her body language meek and obedient, everything about her riling him up further.

"I-I-I'm sorry, but Armin said you were in rut and-"

"And you thought you'd come here to fuck with me, about to be in your unsuppressed heat and all? I don't have the patience for this." Eren liked Historia, got along with her as well as any got along with anyone, but he did not want to mate with her. Didn't want to mate with any female, let alone one who belonged to another Alpha, even if they had not sealed the bond. Historia was Ymir's, and everyone knew it, though no one knew why they didn't just forge the bond already. Ymir was aching to put her mark on Historia, but the little Omega was resisting for some reason, and it was them, not the Alpha, who decided when that mark graced their necks.

"No, no that's not it! I... I have work today, and some errands to run before I go home for the week. I've suppressed for six months now, I can't this time, and Ymir's mad at me! She said she won't scent mark me or mate with me unless I'm ready to let her seal the bond with me!" Eren's instincts were starting to override his good sense, and this Omega's scent was too close, too strong. Only the barely detectable remnants of Ymir's pheromones lingering in her skin kept him from wanting to throw her inside and take her against her will. Eren would not do anything to Historia that she did not want, not really. But the urges there were dark and undeniable, and he gritted his teeth in disgust with them.

"Then that's what you should do. You two love each other. You're being stubborn. You need to get away from me, Historia. I don't want to mate you, I care about you, and I respect Ymir, but I am about to fucking lose it here." Her hands were in the air in a placating gesture, and she took a couple of steps back, reaching into her purse to get a white handkerchief, which she held out to him.

"I just want you to scent mark me! I won't be able to even buy food to last through my heat if I go to the store this way, there'll be Alpha's all over me! You don't even have to touch me, just use this and I'll rub it on! I could literally smell you from the end of the driveway. It'll be strong enough!" Eren knew she was right, could feel the oil just under his skin, ready to pour from his glands at the slightest touch.

"And the next time Ymir smells you, and comes looking for my blood?" Historia's eyes went hard, no trace of the submission that was present before.

"I have every right to decide when I bond, and who I bond with. I asked for her help, and she refused me. I told her I was coming to you, asking for this. She had her chance to stop me. All it would've taken was her wrist on my skin." Angry tears filled those eyes now, threatening to fall. "Is it so much to ask to want some time?" Eren sighed, snatching the white cloth from her hands and running it over the swollen glands in his neck, felt it grow wet with scent. He handed it over to her, and her nose wrinkled in disgust at the powerful smell. It was not a bad smell, but it was not Ymir's, and Eren knew that was the problem. An Omega that was not attached to an Alpha they were mating would have been unable to resist the scent, would rub their faces into it with a moan. This Omega instinctively recoiled from it, even as it was in her hand.

"Jesus, you asked me to, now you make that fucking face. Sorry I don't smell like your Alpha."

"No, no... It's... I'm sorry. I'll go. Thank you, Eren." She was running off, her better judgement finally taking over to get her away from the Alpha before her, standing on the edge of madness and ready to pull her down with him.

...

Somehow Eren made it to the Omega refuge without incident, probably due to the look on his face and the scent that had everything within a quarter mile of him running for cover. The shelter was a place for Omegas to go during their heat if they had nowhere else that was safe. Whether they lived with an Alpha that they did not seek to mate with, or if they lived alone without someone to look out for them, or even if they just stayed in a bad neighborhood, they could come there. Sometimes they came just for shelter when they could no longer suppress their heats, and other times the drugs were not working properly and they stayed long enough to find the right prescriptions and dosages. Every Omega was different, and not all the suppressants worked the same on each one. Then there were also those who had not mated for a long time. If an Omega went too long without mating, the pills would not work to fight the hormones of the heat anymore, and they would be forced to ride out the raging lust and pain of it on their own. Many of them came to a refuge to find an Alpha to mate with in a safe environment, surrounded by the many Betas who worked their to guarantee their protection. It was much less dangerous for them to come here and let any Alphas who sought an Omega to be vetted by the workers here, to ensure that they consented and were not forced into anything. Better than an Omega bar, to be sure, which was full of the worst kinds of both of them. Alpha's who preyed on Omegas, and Omegas who took illegal drugs to simulate a heat, just to lure them in. They were snake pits, and Eren would gut himself before he was desperate enough to go to one.

When he opened the door to enter a waiting area a bell sounded, alerting the employees of his presence, though it was unnecessary. Everyone Omega and Beta on the fucking premises could smell Eren a mile away. There was a counter, with reinforced glass stretching up to the ceiling for security, just to ensure the safety of the Omegas inside. No one would be able to go through to the living areas unless they were buzzed in by an employee, one of whom was headed up to the counter now, and Eren started in surprise. He had brown hair, face covered in freckles and a permanent grin on his face. Eren knew this Beta well.

"Marco? You work here?" Marco was looking at Eren in shock, nose wrinkling just like Historia's had at the overwhelming scent he was putting off.

"Yeah, I volunteer here sometimes. It's a nice change, and I like to help out. But Jesus, Eren. We only have heat suppressants here, none for rut. You have to get those from the pharmacy on the other side of town." Eren was shaking his head, a resigned look on his face.

"Trust me, I tried. Three different kinds, double doses of all of them. It's not happening, my friend. It's either come here and try to find an Omega, or go to the hospital and let them lock me up. Which, at this point, fuck they'd probably tranq me. I'm not really up for it." Marco's eyes were wide, partly due to the scent that was now permeating the entire building, partly because of the shock that Eren was still standing with that many drugs in his system, instead of on his knees in a stupor. "Can you help me out?" Marco shrugged. He hated this part of his job, it made him feel seedy and gross, but many of the Omegas were here for this specific reason, and he knew his friend must be desperate to even consider such a thing.

"Maybe. Depends on you, depends on them. Do I need to give you the speech?" Marco handed him some papers through a slot in the glass for him to fill out, just some basic information for the refuge's records. Neither Alphas nor Omegas could get any type of venereal disease, so it was mostly just so they knew who had come and gone, in case anything untoward happened. Eren jotted down his info quickly before handing the forms back.

"You know I'm not going to lay a hand on any unwilling Omega, Marco. Fuck, I don't want to even touch a willing one. Just don't have much choice." Marco smiled a sympathetic smile at him as he pressed the buzzer, and Eren opened to door to head into the shelter. The scent of Omega assaulted him, sharp and unmerciful, and he leaned over with his hands on his knees, breathing deep, trying to steady himself.

"Fucks sake." Deep breaths would not work to calm him here, not with the hormones so thick in the air he could _taste_ them. Marco laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

"I know. Sorry. Here, let's head back this way to the meeting room, and you can sit down and have some coffee or something while I see if anyone wants to talk to you."

"I feel like I'm going in for a police lineup." The beta shrugged, leading them down a long hallway.

"Well, there is a one way mirror that they can go look through. Y'know, see if you're a hideous beast or not."

Eren laughed, following him down the corridor until a scent filled his nose, sweeter than anything he'd ever smelled in his life. If he thought he had been desperate before, he was wrong. It sang through his veins now, and he shot impossibly hard in his jeans. Eren froze outside the door, which was red where all the rest were white, and pressed his face into it, eyes closed.

"E-Eren?" He resisted the urge to turn the knob, knowing he was not allowed to go into any of the rooms here as he pleased, but he could not tear his nose away. His voice was a breathy whisper when he spoke.

" _Who's in here, Marco?_ " The beta looked sad, biting his lip as he glanced at there red surface of the door.

"An Omega in their red heat." Well, fuck. If an Omega went long enough without mating, after awhile they would go into a heat that would never relent. They called it a 'red heat', because eventually the Omegas began bleeding from their eyes and mouth. After being lost in it for a month or so, the Omega would die if they did not mate. Usually it only happened for one reason.

"Their Alpha died?" If a pair had been bonded for long enough and the Alpha died, most Omegas would not take another. They went into their last heat, and let death take them. As they got close to the end, those who had been bonded would begin to hallucinate their lost Alpha. In ancient times it was thought that the spirit of the Alpha had come back from the afterlife to claim their mate one last time. Now, it was viewed more as a neurological phenomenon, the brain giving the Omega what it wanted most in the world to ease their suffering as they passed. But Marco was shaking his head no. _No?_ "Then why?" There was no Alpha he knew who would let an Omega die rather than mate them, no matter what they looked like or how disagreeable they were. It went against their very nature to allow one to suffer in any way. Alphas protected, and letting an Omega die was a failure at the most basic of their duties.

"He was part of an illegal fighting ring. They had him in a harem, but when they tried to mate him he fought them so viciously that they gave him suppressants and put him the pits to fight. No one would put their money on an Omega, and he made them a lot of cash that way, beating Betas and even Alphas. When they finally set the fighters free and found an Omega among them, they didn't know what to do with him. He'd been on unapproved suppressants for so long that his insides were all fucked up. He didn't even go into a heat at all for over a year. Now none of the suppressants will work on him, and he refuses to mate any Alpha he meets, male or female. Says he'd rather die. Now, well..." Now he was in his red heat, and he would get his wish. Every protective urge rose up in Eren, rankling at the very idea of an Omega hurting when he could ease it. He found his hands stroking at the surface of the door, biting his lip between his teeth as he took in that powerful scent. _He._ It was a male, who would literally die without an Alpha. The very definition of someone who needed Eren.

"How old is he?" An unmated Omega would probably not last past twenty, twenty two maybe.

"He's twenty seven." _Fuck._ That was an incredibly long time for him to have lived that way, and part of it was probably those suppressants they'd had him on, tearing up his body just to keep him out of heat. Eren was rubbing his face back and forth against the door, feeling like everything there was for him lie behind it. All he needed, all he wanted, separated from him by this thin barrier. Marco was wary, looking at the Alpha as though he was ready to to call for help and restrain him if it was necessary.

"Can I meet him? Or does he refuse even that?" His hands were still sliding up and down the door, his entire body pressed against it now, seeking to get closer to that perfect being locked away inside.

"Uh... Every Omega who takes shelter here and goes into a red heat has to allow Alphas to meet them. It's one of the rules, on the off chance they find one they're willing to accept. To save their lives, if at all possible. So, eh, he can't really say no to meeting you. But he's met about two dozen in the last two weeks, and told them all to go to hell." Eren opened his eyes, temple pressed into the red wood, and even he could sense the golden light coming off them as he looked over at Marco.

"Let me in here. Can I go alone?" Marco was nodding.

"There's a camera. I'll have to watch while you are in here. If you go all savage on him, I'll have to gas the room. Okay?" Eren was nodding, feeling drugged by the intoxicating scent that drifted under the doorway. Instead of making him more ravenous, he felt soothed somehow, like his body had decided he'd found what he was searching for. Marco pulled out a set of keys, unlocking the door before crossing the hallway and entering a room full of television monitors. When the door closed behind him, Eren put his hand on the knob, turning it with deliberate slowness before he went inside.

 _Oh, God..._

The Omega was on the bed, shirtless, little body twisted up in the sheets, raven black hair shaved into an undercut but ragged in his eyes. The amount of musculature he had was staggering for an Omega, abs and chest rigidly defined, enough to easily pass as an Alpha if that is all he was being judged on. He had been trembling wildly when the door open, but now he struggled to still it, almost succeeding. His body was covered in a sheen of sweat, breath coming in pants as he fought the force of the heat. He lifted his head up at the sound of the door opening, and when those eyes locked on Eren he froze in his tracks. _So beautiful._ His eyes were gray, and even though they were rimmed in red and surrounded by dark shadows Eren had never seen the likes of them anywhere before. Shining from within, lit up with hunger long denied. They narrowed on the Alpha, expecting one of the Betas who worked there no doubt, and Eren could hear him breathing in, knowing the Omega couldn't help but scent that he was in rut. Lust was still ruling the Alpha, acidic and hazing his eyes in red, but it was not as bad as it had been before. Like a hunger that abates slightly at the sight of food, knowing it will soon be soothed.

"Get out." His voice was shredded but sweet, and Eren wanted to hear it calling out his name in ecstasy. It was easy to tell that the heat was draining him, bones more prominent than they should be, lips thin and pale like the rest of his skin. Eren walked over to the bed, and instead of shrinking back like an unwilling mate, the Omega sat up, body tensing like he was ready to fight. Eren had never seen an Omega show aggression this way, and it did strange and wonderful things to him inside.

"Not yet. I came to meet you. My name's Eren." Those long fingers closed into fists, ready to lash out at the Alpha at the slightest provocation. Eren worked at a dojo, trained people in hand to hand combat and various martial arts, and almost as much as he wanted to mate this little Omega he wanted to _fight_ him. Wanted to watch that lithe little body ducking and dodging, striking out at him with his hands and feet, rolling and shifting and raining down blows on him. It would be more beautiful than any work of art, more magnificent than the sunrise.

"Give it up, Alpha. Go find some little Omega female that needs mating. I don't need anything from you." Eren was shaking his head again, sitting down on the bed near the Omega just to get closer to that smell. He wanted to press his face into that neck, douse him in his scent, drown him in it. Cover him up so that no other Alpha would dare even lay eyes on him. Feel that feverish skin on his.

"I don't like females. You'd rather die than mate, even once?" The Omega _bared his teeth_ at Eren, and he felt his cock twitch at the sight. There was submission filling the scents in the air, luring Eren in with everything he was, instincts screaming to be mated and still he was growling, and posturing, ready to resist. It was the most breathtaking thing Eren had ever seen, and he wanted to see more of it.

"There's no 'once' with Alphas. I've seen it. They take an Omega and even when they refuse the bond, it doesn't matter. They scent mark and bully until they get what they want. Then they expect to have a simpering little weakling, mute and compliant, who will clean their house and cook their meals and get down on their knees in submission, obeying their words like they were law. Fuck. That."

"Not all Alphas are the same." The Omega hissed out his words, muscles tensing, feet edging underneath him in readiness to pounce even as weak and shaky as he was, lost in the sway of his hormones.

"Yes you fucking are."

"Are all Omegas like you then?" Those brows furrowed, gray eyes sparking with fire. "I've certainly never met one ready to fight me, especially when I'm in a rut this powerful. They fall all over themselves to either get away from me or try and mate me. And you want to rip out my throat. So how can you know we are all the same?" Eren reached up, rubbing his fingers into his scent gland and snatching the Omega's wrist, seeking out his own scent gland there and coating it in his Alpha pheromones. The Omega pulled back, hissing, but when the smell washed over him his entire body sagged in relief, eyes falling shut, instincts overwhelmed with bliss at the Alpha's marking on him. It would not stop the heat, or prevent the Omega from dying, but it would relieve some of the pain that was lancing through his body, at least for awhile. His jaw fell open at the calm that ran over him, so different from the ache of the heat he had been mired in for weeks. Eren could tell the Omega wanted him to let go, but he did not, massaging his wrist until Eren's scent was permeating the skin there. A groan came out of that beautiful mouth, full of need and anguish.

"Oh, you bastard." Eren said nothing, just continued to rub at the pulse point with slow movements.

"I'm sorry. You feel better, though. It hurts watching you suffer like that." Those eyes slitted open again, throwing accusations at Eren before he even spoke.

"Yes. But when you leave, it will hurt even worse now." The Alpha looked torn, clearly not having thought of that. He still did not release his wrist, or stop his ministrations.

"Then leave with me. Even if you don't want to mate, you don't have to die in this place, surrounded by the smells of all these other Omegas. It's a nightmare for you here. I can at least ease you until you pass, make it hurt less for you." The Omega's lip twisted up into a snarl, a mirror of the expression Eren had worn earlier on the phone with his sister, and for some reason it was so fucking appetizing that he had to force himself to stay still and not press his lips to it.

"Sure. Go to your house, in your territory, alone with you. An Omega in a red heat, an an Alpha in the strongest rut I've ever smelled. I'm sure you'll be a perfect gentlemen." Eren shrugged, pulling his pocket knife out of his jeans and opening it, handing it to the Omega hilt first, the four inch blade shining black in the light. It was a wonder that Marco had not gassed the room when the weapon came out, but he must be watching closely enough to tell Eren meant no harm.

"If you'd rather have a gun, I can give you one of those too. You know I won't really hurt you. I think you've seen enough of that kind of Alpha to be able to tell." The Omega looked at the knife in his hand in disbelief, staring between it and the Alpha who had just armed him, easy as breathing. It's not as though the Alpha could not just snatch it away, or get a bigger knife himself, but the trust that was inherent in handing it to him in the first place spoke volumes. "I live by myself, no one else in the house. No one will bother you. If you really don't want to mate, I'd never force it on you. You know Marco pretty well by now, right? I'll leave, you can talk to him. Ask him about me. He'd never lie to someone he was here to protect or do anything to jeopardize an Omega's safety." Eren sighed, reaching up with his free hand to fist it in his messy brown locks. The Alpha did not know why he was suddenly so desperate to get this Omega out of here, but he was. It felt like his entire existence was riding on whether or not he walked out of here alone or with this creature in his arms. "The thought of you here alone, dying, suffering this way by yourself... I'll never be able to live with myself if I leave you here. You hate it here, they all do, everyone knows it. If you're going to let yourself die, at least do it somewhere you're not miserable."

The Omega was silent, holding the knife in one hand, letting Eren continue to run his fingers across his wrist, sending waves of pleasure through him. He gritted his teeth, the Alpha could hear it, but he could also smell the emotions in his scent. The Omega was wavering, looking around the room as though wondering how he'd ended up here, what he was doing dying in this room full of the stench of his brethren. He jerked his wrist away finally, rubbing at the oily skin there, and Eren was sure he did not realize what he was doing when he brought it up to his nose to breathe in deep, shuddering, eyes closing again. Eren could just make out four faint scars there, contrasting against the Omega's already pale skin.

"Get out of here. Send your fucking Beta in." Eren looked at him, eyes flashing gold once more before he stood up and walked to the door. His gaze lingered on the Omega in the bed, blade still in hand, instinctively rubbing Eren's scent over the glands in his neck. It took all of his willpower to tear his eyes away and walk from that room. As soon as the door closed behind him with a click, Marco was leaving the security room and heading over. His eyes were down, hands behind his back, head tilted to the side in gestures of submission. The Beta was not sure how things had gone, and an Alpha that had been refused by an Omega he sought was a dangerous thing. He did not want to challenge him, or present a threat in any way, and especially working in a place like a refuge he knew body language was important.

"So, ah..." Eren just nodded towards the Omega's room.

"Go talk to him. Tell him about me." Marco's brows furrowed in confusion, head cocked to side even further now.

"Tell him what?" The Alpha shrugged, looking at the door like he could see through it somehow.

"Whatever he asks. The truth."

Eren moved next to the wall across from the Omega's room, leaning against the wall and sliding down until he reached the floor with a thud. Marco realized he was just standing there staring at the Alpha, and scurried into the Omega's room to escape that half lidded stare. As soon as the Beta was inside, Eren buried his face in his hands with a heavy sigh. _Fuck._ The day had gotten both better and worse dramatically quickly for the Alpha. He would be lying to himself if he couldn't admit he wanted to change that Omega's mind, convince him to mate. Eren was not entirely sure he had been honest with him, did not know for certain that he could let an Omega die in his arms, but he also could not leave him here. Not if there was any way to stop it. It seemed like an eternity before Marco reemerged, looking totally shocked, eying Eren with disbelief.

"You told the Omega you wanted to take him home on hospice care?" The Alpha was nodding, standing up to his full height at the challenge in those words. The Beta had probably not meant to, but his very inflection had Eren biting back a growl. He wanted to correct him. Not _the_ Omega. _My_ Omega. He choked back the words, not knowing where exactly his reason had gone in the last half hour. Marco was withering under the stare he was getting, but though he couldn't raise his eyes he continued speaking. "You know he can hardly walk like this. He needs serious assistance, showering, moving around. This could go on for two to three more weeks. You're saying you can give him the care he needs for that long, in rut, while he is in heat, and still not mate him against his will?" _I can do whatever the fuck I want._ The words were in his head, threatening to pour out, but Eren fought them down. He wanted to hiss at this boy in front of him, push him to the ground, snatch up his Omega and take him from there that instant. Instead he took a deep breath, counting to ten, then twenty, before it was safe to speak.

"Yes. I can. You know me well enough to know I wouldn't rape some Omega, Marco. If he wants to come back, I'll bring him back."

"Eren-" Eren was moving forward, not touching the Beta but backing him up into the door. He felt his eyes flash, teeth bared in a low growl. Another employee was heading down the hall, rushing to see what the commotion was when Marco lifted his hand, stilling him with a gesture that said, 'Wait'.

"What did he say, Marco? It's not your decision. It's his. So what was it?" The Beta sighed, resigned, and Eren's blood sang through his veins in victory.

"He said he's leaving, I'm getting a damn wheelchair. He doesn't have any clothes or belongings, Eren, you'll have to-" Eren wasn't listening, was pushing past him to enter the room where the Omega was waiting, a scowl on his face as he sat on the edge of the bed, arms crossed over his chest.

"If you fucking even look at me wrong, I'll gut you, you Alpha bastard." Eren was smiling then, looking down into those gray eyes like there was nothing else on earth but them. If this little Omega wanted to stab him, he would take that blade gladly, so long as he could carry him home.

"What's your name, Omega?" He looked like he wouldn't answer at first, and the Alpha would not even have cared. Something was wrong inside him, endorphins surging like wildfire through his brain. Maybe the rut had finally made him lose it completely. Eren should not feel this happy, not when he was about to take home an Omega who wanted nothing more than death. _I'll convince him. I'll make him mine._ Hadn't he come here today because he _didn't_ want an Omega of his own? Well, he had been wrong. Eren hadn't wanted any Omega, though, he'd wanted _this_ one. He just hadn't known it. Then the Omega sighed, meeting Eren's bright stare with a frown.

"Levi. My name is Levi." _Levi._ It was perfect. His Omega's name was Levi.

He scooped Levi up in his arms over his loud protests, and walked out of that place like he owned the world.


	2. Relief

**Chapter Text**

Levi heard Marco's fading protests as the Alpha carried him out of the building, and he knew that though the Beta would not follow right now out of fear of Eren's reaction, they would be seeing him again soon. There was paperwork that Eren and Levi were both supposed to sign in the presence of an employee, as well as medicine that the Omega had been taking. Suppressants didn't work, but there were still anti inflammatory drugs and pain killers that, though they weren't that effective, did something to dull the ache. At the moment, however, the Omega wondered if he would even need them. When Eren had rubbed at his scent gland and pressed those wet fingers into Levi's wrist, all that pain and heat had melted away and for the first time in weeks, his bones did not feel like glass. His vision wasn't blurry with tears, and his jaw had relaxed from its brutal clench. Levi had not even realized how tight it had been until he heard it snap open, muscles slack and loose. He had not been prepared for his reaction to the Alpha's mating pheromones, had not ever felt them in his skin before, not even once. Even when he had been in heat before, with his hormones twisting his body in agony, Levi refused to let Erwin scent mark him. Levi's experience screamed at him that Omega's who had the scent of an Alpha on them were doomed, would be covered in bruises and bullied and broken, no trace of themselves anymore, only an Alpha's will etched into their very being.

So no matter how much the Alpha who had pulled him from those pits had begged and pleaded, Levi's answer had been steadfast. _No._ Erwin did not push, but when he visited Levi and Hange's apartment just after one of the Omega's heats and smelled the anguish in the air, it was obvious the lingering scents made him twist inside. An Alpha protected, an Alpha eased an Omega's suffering, or the ones who were not monsters were supposed to anyway. Levi knew it made the blonde feel like a failure, but he could not change his instincts after so long, even for his friend. He had spent years covered in blood and bruises, fighting with fists and teeth and nails as fiercely as he could. As long as he fought, as long as he won, as long as he was staggeringly vicious while he broke his enemies underneath him, he was safe from the Alphas and their marks and mating and misery. Even though he was a pit fighter who defeated Betas and Alphas alike, he could not be housed with them safely, and his keepers knew it. So he stayed with the harem he had been intended for, and when he was carried in torn up and bleeding from a fight he watched as the other Omegas brought in looking just the same. Blue and purple marks ringing their wrists, eyes black, lips busted, sometimes with broken ribs and shattered hipbones. They had not been in a fight like Levi. They had suffered under the attentions of an _Alpha,_ those pheromones thick on their wrecked flesh. The other harem Omegas would bandage him up, care for his wounds, wrap up his sprains. He would do the same for them, wishing with everything he was that he could save them all from the nightmare they lived in.

An Alpha protects. _What fucking bullshit._ Alphas take, and force, and control.

Levi would gladly face their fists, so long as he could throw his back at them, but while he still had breath in his lungs, he would not submit to them. If he was going to be beaten and ragged, he would leave them leaking their own blood in the dirt of the pit in return.

An Alpha's touch meant pain, meant the sacrificing of free will, and even if he knew Erwin would not hurt him in that way it did not matter. After awhile Erwin stopped trying to convince Levi to let him ease his heats with his touch, had never even suggested truly mating him, but the longer the Omega went without seeking an Alpha, the more worried the blonde became. When he talked with Levi about it, how dangerous it was for him to keep going through his heats unmated, the Omega's response had shot fear down his spine.

 _'I'm going to let my red heat take me. I'd rather die with my free will than live under the thumb of some Alpha.'_

He should have known better than to tell the Alpha that. It was the only time that Levi had ever seen Erwin's eyes flash, lighting up with instinct ruling him. The Alpha had backed Levi into a wall, hissing his words through clenched teeth, staring the Omega down until he had averted his eyes, cursing himself. The suppressants they had forced down him for so long had erased any trace of his hormones, along with the submissive tendencies that came with being an Omega, and feeling his eyes dart away from his friend's glare made rage swell up inside him. He wished he had those poisonous chemicals running through his veins again, would have given anything not to be captive to his Omegan instincts. The blonde was oblivious to his fury when he spoke.

 _'I won't let you die, Levi. You find a mate, or I will mate you myself. You might hate me, but you will be alive to do so.'_

A wall had been erected between him and his friend after that, a stain that could not be erased. Erwin had done something Levi could never forgive him for, had forced him into a corner, tried to impose his will on the Omega like all those Alphas that he hated so much. When he realized what he had done, it was too late to take back his words. The damage had been caused, and though he still came to spend time with Levi and Hange, still went out together, drank together, had fun together, it was not quite the same.

Then Levi had felt his heat coming up, and he could already tell it was his last, even before it was fully on him. He had talked to Hange, begged her to do something to keep Erwin away long enough for Levi to succumb to his final cycle. Shitty four eyes was no happier about the Omega's decision than Erwin, but as a Beta it was easier for her to respect his wishes, to understand why. Even so, it had taken some serious convincing. She'd talked to their superiors at the special operations unit the two worked at, working with police and swat to break up harems and Omega traffickers, underground brothels and fighting rings. Somehow the Beta had gotten him sent away on a job, a stakeout that was meant to end in a raid, and Levi was eternally grateful. Erwin would probably hate Hange for the rest of his life for what he viewed as a betrayal, but the Beta had enough love for Levi that she would risk his endless ire so that the Omega could choose for himself what he wanted to do.

If Levi could have just loved Hange as a mate, if she could have been born an Alpha, everything could've been easier. But he did not, and she was not, and so Levi had ended up in an Omega refuge. Sweating, and crying. Aching, and dying. Until a green eyed Alpha had walked into his room, covered Levi's wrist in his scent, sent waves of ecstasy rolling through him. Begged the Omega to let him bring him home. When he said he would not mate Levi against his will, swore to merely ease his suffering through his red heat, the Omega was not sure why he believed him. Something about those flashing eyes, that furrowed brow, those serious expressions. How, even in the face of an overwhelming rut, he did not behave like the Alphas Levi knew. Even Erwin was twitchier than that around him when he was near a heat, let alone mired in the most powerful one Levi would ever have. Eren had sat before him, instincts lighting his gaze up with gold, and still those fingers on his wrist had been gentle. Soothing. Eren had sent Marco in to answer his questions, but he had not asked any. The stench of a dozen Omegas in heat, along with the sincerity dripping from the Alpha's gaze, was enough to convince Levi.

He had not really expected Eren to pick him up in his arms like a bride and carry him home that way, but he should have. After a few vocal but half hearted protests he gave up his writhing and clawing at the Alpha's chest. There was no way Levi could walk more than a few pitiful, wobbly steps, and an Alpha in rut carrying an Omega in heat would draw fewer stares than Eren pushing him along in a wheelchair. Especially this Alpha, whose scent was so strong that the people around them were running for cover, crossing the street and darting into buildings. Anything to get away from Eren, whose eyes were lit up gold as they scanned the crowd around them, daring anyone to so much as look at Levi. The Omega was smirking, feeling a strange thrill run through him he had never felt before. _Power._ There was power in this, one he had not experienced. The power of an Alpha who would destroy anything in his path to keep Levi safe. Levi had seen Alphas watching over their Omegas this way, but never truly considered that it was the Omega who had the control. Even if someone had done nothing at all to him, Levi could point his finger and this Alpha would destroy any of these people without a word, just to please the Omega. It was heady, and dizzying.

It was frightening, how much Levi _liked_ it.

When the Alpha turned up a sidewalk and started heading towards a dark brick house, Levi's eyes went wide. He hadn't really thought about where Eren lived, or what he did for a living, but he must be loaded to own a home like this. The house was unlocked, and Levi did not have to wonder why, with the scent of rut so thick in the air he could taste it. No one in their right mind would come near this place without Eren's consent. Their brains would scream at them to get away, to run, to hide. To save themselves from the fury of the Alpha inside. Not an Omega in heat, though. Levi's instincts had never been more thrilled, more ecstatic than they were surrounded by Eren's scent, protected inside these walls. Still, when Eren closed the door behind them he locked it, the knob and the deadbolts, along with a useless chain that would not keep an angry child out. Levi was smirking again, fighting back a laugh at the Alpha's instincts, which sought to protect in every way, keep safe what he held.

The Omega glanced around the house, full of clean lines and wide open space, walls a pale gray blue color. There was not a lot of clutter, or decoration, just a large black couch and loveseat, and a huge recliner that seemed big enough for two people to live in, let alone sit in. A wooden coffee table sat in front of them, with a photo album sitting on the surface unopened. No pictures on the walls, the only thing adorning them being a large wall mounted flat screen tv with a couple of video game consoles on a small table underneath, shelves on the sides stacked with games and controllers. It wasn't filthy, but it wasn't exactly clean either, some dirty laundry piled in a corner and dust obvious on the surfaces here and there. An empty glass sat forgotten on the coffee table, alongside a handful of unopened letters. Eren deposited Levi on the couch, obviously reluctant to put him down even though they were in his home now, and knelt on the floor as the Omega situated himself into its lush cushions.

"This place is a fucking mess." Compared to Levi's apartment, anyway. Or... the apartment that used to be his. _It's not mine anymore, is it? Because I'll be gone soon._ It wasn't the first time he had thought about his death, or even the hundredth, but it was the only time it had stung his chest this way. Eren was looking around, taking in his place with new eyes, and Levi wanted to laugh again at those furrowed brows. Fuck, he was clearly horrified that the Omega thought his house was _dirty._ The Alpha blinked a few times, turning his gaze back to Levi.

"You want to take a shower, or a bath, or something? Even I can smell the scent of those other Omegas on you. It's gotta be driving you crazy." He was right. The very air in that place had been filled with Omegan scents, and even though he'd been given his own room, traces of them were still in his hair, his skin, but he couldn't resist teasing him.

"What, I stink, Alpha?" Those green eyes were wide, darting around Levi's face, at a loss for what to say. Wracking his brain for whatever would please the Omega the most.

"Ah, no, I didn't mean that... I just-" Then Levi couldn't hold it in anymore, he laughed right in Eren's face, causing it to twist in a scowl.

"You're too fucking easy. Normally I'd say a shower, but I don't think I can stand that long." Eren's face cleared, full of worry again.

"Hot or cold?" It was a good question, and Levi didn't really know which would be better. Cold would soothe away some of the heat that was coursing through him, but as soon as he got out it would return. _Eren's scent will do more than any cold water to take that heat away._ Warm water would relax his tense muscles, ease the ache in his bones, maybe do some actual good.

"Hot. Hot's better." The Alpha made no move to head to the bathroom, however, just stared into Levi's face, expression torn. He had something to say, but was afraid to say it. Levi crossed his arms over his chest, glaring. "What is it? Spit it the fuck out."

"I need to mark you again. On your neck. If that's okay." Levi let out a harsh breath, not believing his ears. An Alpha in rut asking permission to mark an Omega. He'd never heard of such a thing, especially when Levi had come here specifically for this, to let Eren use his Alpha's scent to ease the Omega's suffering.

"Wouldn't be much of a point to me being here if you didn't, would there?"

Eren nodded, biting his lip as he leaned forward, easing in close to the Omega like he expected him to bite. _Fuck, not like it hadn't happened before._ Those big hands found the sides of Levi's face, and the Omega shuddered as they turned his head to the side, exposing his scent gland to Eren's hungry eyes. The Alpha's scent shot up in the air around them, sharper, stronger, as he closed the distance between them. When his face was close enough that Levi could feel hot air on his neck he froze, breathing coming in quick gasps. The Omega began to writhe in place, fighting against the instincts soaring up in him. Instincts that wanted Levi to rub himself against this Alpha in front of him, catch Eren's gaze and avert his own in submission, give himself up in offering. _Fuck, what was he doing?_ His voice was breathier than he would like, the undercurrent of a whine arcing through it.

"What are you waiting for, kid?"

"I- I don't know. I've never marked an Omega this way." Levi couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think. His first thought was that it had to be a lie, there was no way this Alpha could have gone so long without taking an Omega to mate, but then he realized someone would say the same thing about him. Truth rang through his words, through his clean scent that held no trace of an Omega, through his house that was totally empty of any remnants of the smell of a heat.

"You're serious?" Eren still held his face to the side, but out of the corner of his eye he saw the Alpha nod. "It's okay. Just do it."

Then he heard a sound come from Eren, a growl that was not a growl, and Levi cried out instinctively in answer, a whimpering moan. The vibrations of the growl were different than any he'd heard before, shaking Levi down to his very core. It was an Alpha's call, a sound that reached inside the Omega, soothing his nerves, relaxing his body, making his legs go wide in unspoken invitation. Levi wanted to slam his knees together, push Eren away, but in the face of that sweet sound, he was powerless. Levi had never had an Alpha call to him that way, since he had never mated, but the Omega in him responded in kind. An Alpha called, and his Omega cried in answer. _Fuck._ Then Eren's neck was pressing into Levi's, gently at first, skin barely touching. After a few moments the pressure increased, and soon the Alpha was rubbing fiercely against him, switching from one side of his throat to the other, marking both glands in kind. Before long he was growling louder, shoving his neck and face viciously into the Omega's skin, sliding it back and forth. He was no longer a man but a beast, desperate to get at his prey. Levi felt himself growing harder against his will, arousal throbbing where it pressed between them. The Omega felt Eren's mouth open against his skin, felt the ghosting of teeth over his throat, and thought the Alpha had lost himself. Lost control. Instead of being angry, or frightened, for the barest of instances joy shot through him. Levi had always known what he thought it was to be an Omega, but with this Alpha pressed up against him, calling to him, touching him, he realized he did not have a clue. Then Eren threw himself backwards, scooting away from Levi and looking up at the Omega with a horrified expression on his face. He staggered to his feet, taking a few steps back, panting. Levi was in no better shape, head still tilted to expose his throat, legs wide, pupils blown dark with lust. The Omega was not aware of his hands, rubbing at the skin of his neck wildly, spreading that dark scent over his collarbones, his chest. Eren was staring at him with eyes made of gold, teeth bared. Then he shook his head, swearing under his breath, and when he looked back at Levi his eyes were green again.

"I'm sorry. I'll go fill up the tub, and then I'll come back to get you." Levi couldn't answer, could just nod weakly, and only when Eren had stalked from the room could he pull his limbs back in, still his hands, calm his breathing. _Oh, shit._ The Omega had been on the edge of surrender, ready give in to this Alpha. Let Eren mate him, and mark him. He had not even been here fifteen minutes, and he was a wretched mess of hormones, moaning underneath an Alpha's mouth. _This is going so well, Levi._ It was fifteen more minutes or so before Eren came back, and instead of feeling impatient Levi was grateful. He'd needed every second to pull himself together. The Alpha had held out his arms, reaching down to cradle Levi to his chest and carry him through the bedroom and into the bathroom. When they got there, he eased Levi to his feet, supporting his weight with an arm under his shoulders as they stood there side by side, uncertain.

"You... uh... you want help with your clothes?" No. Fuck, no. Levi categorically did not want help with his fucking clothes. He also could barely keep himself upright, legs quaking under his own weight. The Omega nodded, casting his eyes away again as pink danced across his cheeks. Eren's fingers slipped into the waistband of Levi's pajama pants, hooking under the boxers as well and tugging them down together. When he leaned over to pull them off of the Omega's feet, Levi saw that his eyes were wrenched shut, teeth buried into his bottom lip so hard a drop of blood was leaking out. Then he was scooping Levi up again, walking over to the tub and easing the Omega inside like he would break. Once he had settled against the back of the tub, Eren was backing up as fast as he could, running into the wall behind him in his haste to put some distance between them.

"Is the water okay? Too hot? Not hot enough?" Levi did not think he could deal with those jewel bright eyes, so he closed his own, rolling back and forth under the water as he felt warmth seep into his muscles. He sighed in bliss, keeping his neck above the surface. Levi did not want to admit it, but he did not want to wash that sharp Alpha's scent away.

"Mmmm. It's fine."

"I'll go try to find you some shorts to wear. Everything I have will be too big, but you probably don't want a shirt on anyway." An Omega's skin was extremely sensitive during a heat, and anything on it chafed and itched. "Yell when you're ready to get out, and I'll come get you. Is there anything you want?" Levi blinked his eyes open sleepily, and only then did he wonder how long it had been. _How long since I fell asleep? How long since I felt like I could?_ Four days, at least. Fuck, he was tired. Then he thought of Hange, wondered if the Beta would try to go visit him at the refuge. Would they tell her anything? He hadn't signed a medical records release. They probably wouldn't give out any of his information to her.

"Can I use your phone?" Shit, he was in the bathtub, what a stupid fucking question. "Uh, when I get out, that is."

"Sure. I'll be here, just let me know if you need me."

The Alpha left without another word, door clicking as he closed it behind him. Levi shifted around in the water, feeling the tension ease from his bones as the water relaxed him. This was the last place he had expected to end up, tucked away in an Alpha's house, the scent of rut surrounding him like an embrace. It felt better than it should, like he had been waiting all his life to be here. _'You'd rather die than mate, even once?'_ Yes, he would. Or so he had thought, anyway. But underneath that Alpha's touch, suddenly mating did not seem like a weight to bear. The thought of his death looming before him frightened him, for the first time ever. Levi had been ready to die every day for all those years of his captivity, and when he'd been released and gone into heat again, the finality of his end had cemented itself immediately. The Omega had never feared death before now.

This Alpha had made him weak, and part of Levi hated him for it.

...

Levi was not sure when he had dozed off, but the water was still barely warm when a heavy hand on his shoulder pulled him from sleep.

"Levi. Levi, hey. Let me get you out of there, dry you off, get you to bed." The Omega blinked blearily, sleep clinging to him like a shroud. When his vision cleared, he saw Eren looking down at him, concern written plainly over his face. Levi reached his hands up, still half asleep as the Alpha tugged him from the tub and into his arms. Eren sat on the floor with Levi across his lap, rubbing a towel over him with quick, efficient strokes. The Omega closed his eyes, curling into the Alpha's chest in a somnolent daze. He still felt the ache of his heat, that ever present throbbing in his shaft, hips loose in their sockets, skin itching and stretched, but right now he was so tired that it was all in the background, static playing out in his mind. Levi absently noticed the Alpha running a towel over his head, ruffling his hair as he dried the dark strands as best he could. The Omega did not realize it, but a contented sigh eased out of his throat, ending on a satisfied hum. He had not ever felt this way, this total relaxation. Not just since his heat had started, but even before that Levi had always felt tense, tight, on edge. Right now he was awash in calm, even his fatal cycle thrust away to some dark corner of his being. He opened his eyes when Eren lifted him up, wondering when, exactly, the Alpha had gotten a pair of boxers on him.

Eren carried him into the bedroom, walking over to the bed and settling the Omega against the pillows. The Alpha had not changed his sheets, but instead of being irritated the Omega was glad. That musky smell surrounded him, pulling at his eyelids, urging him to rest. Levi sniffed the air, and realized with a start that Eren had cleaned in here while he had been in the bath. The sharp, fresh scent of disinfectant lingered in the air under the smell of Eren's rut, surfaces of the bedside tables and shelves smooth and free of dust. The laundry that Levi had noticed on the way in was nowhere to be seen, stray clothes tucked into drawers. When he glanced towards the tables on either side of the bed, his eyes went wide. There were bottles of water and juice on one side, cold and shining with condensation, along with a bucket of finely ground ice like they'd given him in the refuge to eat, to help ease the relentless warmth, along with the ache in his mouth. There was also fruit, apples and bananas, along with some granola bars and even some chocolate. A small wastebasket was on the floor nearby. The other table was piled up with books and a remote control, as well as the pocket knife Eren had given him earlier. The Alpha had pulled the blankets up to his waist, backing up and looking lost in his own bedroom, as though he'd never been there before.

"Do you want anything else? I don't know when you ate, or if you're hungry, but if you want a real meal I can make you one." Levi smiled, already almost gone under. This Alpha was going to cook for him? _How fucking ridiculous._ "It's not ridiculous. If you want to eat, I need to feed you." Oh, shit. He said that out loud? The Omega laughed then, stupid with exhaustion. His words were slurred, a drunken mumble pouring out of his lips.

"Do you have black tea? I want some tea when I get up." They wouldn't let him have it at the refuge, some bullshit about hydration, and Levi would kill someone for some tea right then.

"I'll get some." Levi nodded, sleep thick in his veins. He held his hands up, eyes closed, nuzzling his face into Eren's pillow as he breathed in.

"Mark my wrists again. It washed off." Levi felt those warm hands close around his wrists, and he sighed when Eren rubbed them both against his neck, soaking them in scent. When The Alpha released his hands, Levi pulled them up by his face, burying his nose against them and smiling. The Omega felt long fingers threading through his hair, and he pushed his head up into the touch.

"Sleep well, Levi."

"Nnnkay. G'night..." Was it night? Levi wasn't sure at the moment, but it didn't matter.

Eren's smell was in his nose, and under his face, and all around him. It was soft, and safe, and clean. Levi could sleep here.

He could stay here forever.


	3. Resound

**Chapter Text**

It was harder than anything he'd ever done to pull his hand from those raven locks. Eren stared at Levi for long moments as he slept, only leaving the room when his instincts began to surge up powerfully inside him. He wanted to crawl into his bed with the little Omega, hold him close, smell his skin, but he knew he could not. Eren did not have the restraint necessary to pull back from such a thing, not right then. So he dragged himself from the room, unable to force his feet any further that just outside the closed door no matter how hard he tried. Eren leaned against it, sinking down into the floor with the wood at his back. _Omega._ There was an Omega tucked into his blankets, Eren's scent on his throat, on his wrists, in his nose. The Alpha shuddered at the thought, and if it would have done him any good, Eren would've taken himself in hand to relieve some of the ache. During a rut, it was useless to even try. The only way a rutting Alpha could finish was inside an Omega, at least the first time anyway. Still he was palming himself through his jeans without thinking, pressing at the vicious heat there. His mind was reeling, and he needed a distraction, something to get his thoughts off that lithe, muscled body curled up between his sheets. Mumbling at Eren, sleepy and adorable, telling him 'Goodnight' in the middle of the day. Fuck, it shouldn't be cute, but it was and Eren wanted to pound his face into the wall. The Alpha took out his phone like it was a lifeline, tapping the screen to life and calling his job. Mike answered, thank God, because he did not have the patience to deal with Jean's bullshit right then.

"Hey Mike, it's Eren."

"Hey. How's life? Miserable, I presume. Right now, anyway."

"Shut up, you ass. I called to tell you it's going to be more than a week before I'm back." Mike was grumbling before he even finished talking.

"I've never heard of a rut lasting longer than a week, Jaeger. I thought you were going to find an Omega, anyway, be back in a few days unless you failed miserably. I don't have an instructor for your Thursday jiu-jitsu class, and one of the Alpha's in your boxing group can't stand Jean. There's gonna be blood."

"If I come down there in rut, there's gonna be even more."

"So no go on the Omega?" There was no way Eren was heading into work until this whole thing was resolved, but Mike deserved to know why, if nothing else so he would leave him alone.

"Ah... I need you to keep this between us, boss." Eren couldn't see Mike's face, but he could see that suspicious look in his mind clear as day.

"Spill it, Jaeger." The Alpha sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"There's an Omega here at my place." His boss whistled low and long.

"And Jaeger finally scores!"

"An Omega in their red heat. Who doesn't want to mate." Mike took in a harsh breath, and Eren knew the other's Alpha instincts were rising as surely as his own at the thought.

"Well, fuck. What is she doing at your house, then, and not at the refuge? Why would you even bring her there?"

"He. And I'm using my mark to ease his heat. Trying to change his mind." There was a long silence, and after awhile Eren wondered if he had lost the connection. Finally Mike spoke up again.

"Shit, Jaeger. That's fucked up. Also, he, not she, eh?" Eren felt himself bristling, pheromones riling in his blood, ready to fight an enemy that wasn't even there. He had never dated, never expressed an interest in doing so, and he couldn't really blame Mike for not knowing. Alphas who went into rut on their own were only ever attracted to Omegas, and since Eren had not mated, it wouldn't automatically be obvious to the man that his interests ran that way.

"You got a fucking problem with it, Zacharius? Because we can discuss it next time I come down there." Mike was laughing then, knowing exactly how Jaeger wanted to _discuss_ it.

"I don't give a shit who you want to fuck, Eren." The man's tone grew serious then, voice lower, full of concern. "You really got yourself into it now, though, boy. You think you can deal with this? If your Omega doesn't change his mind, you gonna be able to take a step back and objectively observe as he bleeds to death out of his eyes and mouth? I couldn't. I don't know any Alpha that could. There's a reason they go to those shelters when their Alpha dies, son." For a moment Eren couldn't respond, could only replay his boss's voice in his mind, saying _your Omega._ Thinking of Levi's face as he said it, nothing had ever sounded so right. Levi wasn't his, and Eren knew it, but _fuck,_ he wanted him to be.

"He never had an Alpha." Silence again. Complete and all encompassing.

"Why the fuck not?" Eren sighed, not wanting to get into all this with Mike. It wasn't any of his damned business, anyway, nor was it Eren's place to say anymore. He'd said too much already.

"Listen, I'm not going to go there with you, okay? I just wanted to tell you what was going on so you'd be aware. Send someone to get my keys, okay? No Alphas."

"No shit, you moron. Your buddy Armin's here picking up something for Mika-"

"No. Not Armin. No Omegas either." Levi had been drowning in the scent of Omegas for weeks, and Eren didn't want to subject him to it again. "Send..." Who? Who would he not want to rip into pieces? "Is Sasha there today?"

"Ah, yeah, but she doesn't leave until five." Five was three hours away, but Eren had a feeling that Levi would still be asleep well past then.

"That's fine. Tell her to buy me some black tea on the way here, a few different kinds, and I'll pay her back." Mike snorted, and Eren didn't have to wonder why.

"Since when do you drink tea, Jaeger?"

"I don't. My Omega does." Another loaded silence. Eren didn't know it was possible for him to want to hit someone so much for not talking.

"Fuck, son. You're done for." The Alpha was smiling, rubbing his fingers over his neck and bringing them up to his nose, breathing in that fierce Omegan scent that still lingered there.

"I know."

"I'll send Sasha for your keys."

"Don't forget about the tea!"

"Jesus. I won't forget your Omega's goddamned tea."

Mike hung up without another word, and Eren just stared at his phone for awhile, wondering if he should call Armin and specifically tell him to stay away from his place. He knew that Eren was in rut, and that his pills weren't working, but the Alpha had been suppressing for so long that it might slip his mind. Mikasa would probably remind him, but he decided to text him anyway.

 **Eren: Hey blondie, don't cry, but don't come over here until I let you know the coast is clear, alright?** He responded almost immediately, as he always did. Armin's phone was like an extension of his hand, permanently attached.

 **Armin: Riding it out, huh? My sexy ass too tempting to resist?** Little bastard.

 **Eren: Something like that. I'll let you know.**

 **Armin: K. Don't die. I might need you to protect me from your sister at some point.**

 **Eren: Duly noted.**

The Alpha shoved his phone back into his pocket and closed his eyes. He could feel the Omega in his room, invisible chains pulling at him, instincts screaming for him to climb into that bed and just _take_ him. Eren wrenched his eyes shut even tighter, fisting his hands as they began to shake. It would be physically impossible for him to leave right now, and even it wasn't he couldn't leave Levi alone. But neither could he sit right outside his room with that fucking delicious scent surrounding him, a sleeping Omega just a few feet away. The Alpha let out a shuddering breath, popping his jaw and glancing around. Levi had said his place was dirty, and Eren had cleaned up the bedroom before he brought the Omega to bed, but had not had a chance to clean the rest of the house.

When Levi woke up, it would be fucking spotless.

...

Eren had finished cleaning long ago, and was now in his kitchen with various pots and pans simmering on his stove. The Alpha did not know what Levi liked to eat, but he did remember Armin talking about being in heat, and how he couldn't have just anything. Something about his stomach being sensitive, not being able to tolerate heavy foods, too much meat, a lot of spices. So Eren had made some rice, white without any seasonings as well as some flavored with tomatoes, onion, and chicken broth. He'd started preparing chicken noodle soup, only realizing halfway through that yes, chicken soup had meat in it. _Fucking moron._ Eren wasn't a chef, and he couldn't cook an endless number of things, but he pulled out another pot and started some french onion soup just in case. _What if he doesn't like soup, or rice?_

Somehow he'd ended up with a kitchen full of food, two different dishes full of rice, two covered pots with soup simmering on low heat, two different kinds of pasta. Some fairly basic spaghetti with marinara, along with alfredo. He was wracking his brain, trying to think of anything else to make that would please the Omega. Oatmeal would be easy on anyone's stomach, or maybe sandwiches, but that could be ready in a few minutes. Eren had already looked up how to prepare black tea and written down the instructions. The Alpha wasn't sure if Sasha would show up with tea leaves or tea bags, but either way he wanted to be ready. He was digging in his cabinets for a cups and a tea kettle, which Armin had given him an eternity ago and he had never used even once, when there was a knock on his door. He was growling before he'd even taken a step towards it, Alpha instincts rising up, wanting to keep everyone and everything away from his Omega. It was a few moments before he could quiet his throaty sounds, reign his scent in, bring his eyes back to green. After a lot of deep breathing, rolling his head around on his neck, shaking his arms out, he finally felt in control enough to answer. Eren was expecting Sasha, so when he opened it to find Marco standing on the other side with a bag in his hand and a clipboard under one arm, he was more than a little surprised. The Beta had his eyes on the ground, head tilted, leaning forward just slightly to put himself below Eren's line of sight. A fucking pro at dealing with dumb ass Alphas, to be sure, but it didn't help much. Eren had been ready for Sasha, not the male before him who had already challenged him once today. The deep sounds of aggression bubbled out against his will, lip curling in a snarl, fists clenching on their own. _Threat._ Marco wasn't one, but Eren's instincts didn't know that. They wanted him gone, far away from Levi, and right fucking then. The Beta knew he was on thin ice, and while Eren tried to calm himself all over again Marco stayed still, quiet, submissive. After ages of silence, glaring, hostile body language, Eren finally felt himself easing back. _Fuck._ It had never been this hard for Eren to control himself before. This little Omega had him tied up in knots. Marco seemed to recognize that the Alpha was a little more himself again, and he sighed in relief.

"You're doing impressively well with that, all things considered. Ah... There's a rather nervous girl standing at the end of your driveway? Sasha, I believe? She told me these were for you, and that if I could get your work keys and give them to her she would be eternally grateful." Eren leaned out his doorway, taking in Sasha at the end of his drive, shifting nervously. She waved, but did not budge from her spot. Eren felt himself walking forward, ready to go down the driveway, throw her to the ground and hiss in her face. Sasha may not have been moving, but staying so far away from the Alpha, scent full of fear, she was still _running._ The Beta had surely not meant to, but she'd made herself into prey in his eyes, and he wanted to chase down his victim and force her to submit, bare her throat, put herself at his mercy. Eren didn't want to mate her, he wanted to _defeat_ her, wanted her cowed and helpless under his gaze. Marco reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, stilling him, and Eren was both furious and appreciative. _Deep breaths. Calm down._ He stepped deliberately back inside, reentering his territory and trying to relax.

"She said 'eternally grateful'?" It did not sound like her. At all.

"Actually she said she would 'dance at my wedding or have my babies or anything I wanted' if it meant she did not have to come talk to you right now." Eren laughed, snatching his keys off the metal rack by the door and handing them to Marco, who took a few steps down the drive and tossed them to Sasha. She snatched them out of the air and literally ran in the other direction without another word. He had to close his eyes as she fled, had to dig his nails into his palms so hard that they were probably bleeding to keep from running after her and tackling her into the concrete. Fuck, someone needed to talk to her about prey drives again because she obviously needed a refresher, especially working with Eren and Jean at the dojo surrounded by so many Alphas. Eren felt himself growing irritated at the two Betas.

"Damn, is it that bad? I mean, clearly I'm losing my shit but you can't know that just from the smell." Marco was smirking, standing up to his full height now and holding out the plastic sack for Eren to take. Eventually he did, eying the selection within for a moment, frowning until he saw one of the packages had tea bags. _Oh, thank fuck._

"It took me a few minutes before I could come up here. It's fairly overpowering, and I smell Alphas in rut every day. I sort of want to piss myself." The Alpha was scratching his head. He still wanted to growl at Marco, shove him out of the doorway, force him away from his house. This Beta wasn't doing anything wrong, wasn't aggressive or hostile, but the beast inside him didn't care.

"So why are you here, then?" Marco held up the clipboard that was under his arm, an apologetic smile on his face.

"I need you to sign these papers, fill out a few things. Disclosures, consent forms, medical releases. Levi, too. You were supposed to do it before you left, you damned savage." Eren just shrugged.

"Sorry about that." He was not sorry, but that wasn't the point.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't about to stop you right then. I kind of like my limbs, fairly attached to them. But I still need to get these signed. I filled everything out that I could, as far as your and Levi's information, but there's a few things I couldn't answer, and then I need your signatures. Plus it's policy for an employee to check on an Omega in this situation. I'll have to come by again in a week, and a week after that, until..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. _Until Levi is mated, or until he is dead._

"Okay. Come in, I guess. Let me get this tea started, and then I'll fill those out." Marco filed into the house, Eren closing the door behind him, clicking the locks back in place. The Beta followed him into the kitchen without thought. Marco had been in Eren's house a few times before, drinking and hanging out with Armin and Mikasa and their friends. They usually gathered at Armin's house, since Alphas were territorial by nature, but sometimes it was more convenient to do it at Eren's. He had more space than anyone else, after all.

"I'm guessing the tea is for Levi? He kept trying to get us to let him have some, but it's against policy. Dehydrates you."

"They say that's a myth, actually. He wants tea, he can have tea. Omega in his red heat just wants a fucking caffeinated drink, and you guys won't let him have it. You're a bunch of nitpicking assholes." Eren started some water boiling, and when Marco glanced around his eyes went wide.

"What the hell, Eren?" The Alpha was not sure what he meant for a moment, glancing around, but then he realized that Marco was talking about the food.

"Oh. Uh, I didn't know what he liked to eat. He fell asleep pretty fast after he got here and I didn't have a chance to ask him. I left some fruit and stuff in there, but I figure he'll need real food when he wakes up, probably? I'm stocked up pretty well right now, since I thought I might be stuck here for a week or so. I guess it worked out okay." The Beta was smiling then, an impossibly fond look on his face. He was looking at Eren like he had just hung the moon in the sky.

"I feel a lot better about this now. I've been worried all day long." Eren felt himself riling, standing taller, gaze like a blade on Marco.

"What, because I'm a _savage_? You should know me better than that."

"I'm sorry! But, you're an Alpha in rut. Some crazy, psychotic rut, at that. I didn't know if he would be entirely safe here. It's my job to worry." Eren was pressing in close to the Beta, flashing eyes narrowed, teeth bared.

"It's my job to keep him safe, not yours. Levi's _mine._ " Eren hissed out the words without thought, but then he realized what he was doing and pulled back, running a hand over his face. "I'm sorry. I'm... fuck, I'm not going to hurt him, but I'm having a hard time here. Give me those papers. Let's go sit down."

They both headed into the living room wordlessly, Eren taking the couch while Marco seated himself as far away as possible. It was not due to any real fear of Eren, but out of habit after dealing with so many different Alphas for so long. There was not much for him to fill out, Marco having answered most of the questions himself. It was all very standard, agreeing to provide adequate care, notifying the refuge of worsening condition or injury, allowing the Omega to return at any time they desired, and of course stressing the importance of an Omega's consent, as if he needed to be reminded. Too many Alphas viewed Omegas as property, as objects instead of people. Eren had said Levi was his, not five minutes ago, but it was different from the way some of his brethren looked at it. He wanted Levi to be his to care for, provide for, watch over. Not to control, or own. Eren added in the few missing details, signing his name and handing the forms back over with a sigh.

"Now I need Levi to fill these out." Eren didn't want to let Marco wake up his Omega, wanted to posture and hiss at him for trying to intrude on Levi's rest. The Alpha fought down his urges, eyes closed, head tilted to the side as though listening to a sound that was too quiet to hear. He stood up, leading the Beta into his room where Levi was, coiled in the center of the bed. The Omega was not twisted up in the bedding as he had been at the shelter, but totally still and relaxed, wrists tucked tight into his nose. Levi was smiling in his sleep, and even Marco's breath caught at the sight.

"Whoa. I haven't seen him sleep in five days. I'm surprised he can, this far into things." Then Marco felt Eren grab his arm, tugging him away from the bed.

"Shit! The tea's not ready, you can't wake him up yet." The Beta's brows furrowed in confusion.

"It'll only take a minute, he can go ba-" Eren growled at him again, and Marco felt the vibrations rumbling through his arm and into his chest. He backed up, pulling free from the Alpha's grip, putting space between them without turning his back.

"No! He said he wanted tea when he woke up, just go sit down and give me twenty minutes."

Marco fought a smirk off his face at Eren's words, and realized that even asleep this Omega had him in the palm of his hand. The Beta was glancing around, noting the bounty of food and drinks and books on the bedside table, now unable to suppress a grin. He looked over at Eren, planning to tease him, only to go quiet at the sight. The Alpha's eyes were not just gold, but throwing off light into the room in their brightness. He was biting his lip, one of his hands clutching at his chest desperately. Marco felt his worries drain away into nothingness. This Omega had nothing to fear here, nor would he be succumbing to his red heat. The Alpha before him would do what he was born to do.

He would protect.


	4. Resolve

**Chapter Text**

"...Levi." Someone had their hand on Levi's shoulder, shaking it gently back and forth. The voice was a blur, just an itching at the back on his consciousness, but it had to be Hange, stupid fucking four eyes couldn't let him sleep. Levi had never been so tired in his entire life, and he'd be damned if he crawled out of this bed for her. Since when was his mattress so comfortable? It always made his back ache, made his spine feel twisted up in his skin. At the moment it was like he was laying in a fucking cloud, and he didn't understand why, but he also didn't care. Though the bed itself was comfortable, Levi's body was all wrong. His skin was stretched too tight over his bones, sharp edges of his frame threatening to burst through. Everything itched, and shook, desperate for touch.

"Hey, Levi. Levi, wake up." Warmth was wrapped around him, and he felt... well, and safe, and happy, even through his discomfort. Something smelled wonderful, keeping him under the surface of awareness, and he did not want to break free.

"Levi." Now instead of shaking at his arm, that hand was threading through his hair, brushing it from his face. He whined in his pillow, shoving his face deeper into the fabric and covering his eyes but being careful not to pull away from those fingers in his dark locks. They felt good, and even if it was stupid Hange it didn't matter, he wanted her to keep going. That scent assaulted him again, and he felt heat roll through him, felt himself shoot unmercifully hard in his boxers. Levi's legs were kicking off the blankets that covered them, too hot now, skin too sensitive as shimmering waves of arousal shot under his flesh. _Heat._ Oh, that's right, he was in heat. That's why he felt empty and achy as he thrust mindlessly into the covers. He mumbled something unintelligible, willing himself back down into his dreams and closer to that sweet smell, though it seemed to be coming from two different places now. In his bed, but also in the room with him.

"Levi." Christ, couldn't she leave him alone? If he wasn't so annoyed he would be embarrassed at the thought of Hange, watching him grind instinctively into his mattress. Levi couldn't help it, couldn't stop himself.

"No. Fuck off, four eyes." There was a dark chuckle, and he found himself wondering if someone had come over just to fuck with him. Hange's laugh was manic and crazed, the cackling of a cartoon villain, not that sultry sound he was hearing now.

"Just for a minute, Levi." Levi threw himself up from bed, profanities pouring out of his mouth in an angry stream as he blinked his lids open.

"Mother of fuck, Hange, could you please shut the hell up and-" When the Omega's vision cleared he was looking into bright green eyes gazing at him, full of affection. He jumped back, almost falling off the bed as he thrust his legs underneath him and brought up his fists. Levi was growling, but then after the confused haze of sleep fell away he went silent, collapsing back into the sheets with a sigh. "Fuck. You scared the shit out of me, Alpha. Was that really necessary?" His heart was beating wildly in his chest, adrenaline flowing through his veins. Everything had come back to him in a rush, his red heat, the refuge, the Alpha... Then he noticed Marco, that damn sympathetic expression on his face as always. Levi liked the Beta, but after two weeks he was ready to smack that fucking understanding look right off. Suddenly a cup was thrust in front of his face, dark brown liquid inside smelling like ambrosia. He snatched it away, looking at the Alpha almost accusingly as he glanced from the tea to Eren and back again. Finally his eyes settled on the Alpha's face, that suspicious expression burned into his brows.

"You want sugar or milk?" Locking stares with the Alpha, lust ran up his spine and he wanted a lot more than a cup of fucking tea. He shook away his errant thoughts, trying to pull himself back down to reality and out of the cloud of neediness he was in. Levi noticed a tray next to his bed with a plastic pitcher full of the dark liquid, a small container of sugar and another cup like the one he held, this one filled with milk. _An Alpha with fucking teacups._ It shouldn't be funny, but Levi wanted to laugh all the same. He reached over to the tray and took a generous spoonful of sugar, stirring it into his drink before replacing it. The Omega brought the drink to his lips, and after the first drops hit his tongue he moaned, swallowing the rest down in one gulp.

"Shit, that's the best thing that's happened to me in weeks." Besides the Alpha's face sliding against his skin, spreading that perfect scent over his throat... _Fuck, shut up Levi._ Marco was snickering, looking far more amused than he should at the Omega's expense. Then Levi glanced up only to catch his breath at the Alpha looking down at him with a smile so wide it looked like his face might break. It had been those fingers in his hair Levi realized with a start, and he wanted Eren to put them back, bury them in his black strands again. He shuddered, pushing down the feelings that rose within him unbidden.

"Morning, sunshine." Eren refilled Levi's cup, and the Omega glared at him in return.

"Fuck you, Alpha, I'm no one's sunshine." The Alpha just shrugged, unfazed, spooning the sugar in himself this time and mixing it with the liquid. His scent was overwhelming in the air, and Levi was not exactly sure how he was just standing there, calm and collected. As though he wasn't buried in instincts that were telling him to shove Levi down into the bed and make the Omega wretched beneath him. _Shut up. Fuck. Shut up._ He smelled like violence and lust, the two indistinguishable for the Omega. Usually the scent made him recoil when he encountered it, but right then it drew him in, made him want to shove his face into the Alpha's neck and just breathe in deep. If the Beta had not been in the room to distract him, Levi was not sure that he would've been able to stop himself. Levi eyed Marco as he took deliberately another sip of tea, trying to make sure his voice was even when he spoke next and not rough with desire. "Gimmie your fucking papers, freckles." The Beta handed the clipboard over, not surprised that the Omega already knew why he was there. Levi set his cup down on the tray, looking a little apprehensive, like Marco was going to take it away somehow.

"Hey Eren, you think you could step out for a minute so I can talk to Levi alone?" Levi watched the Alpha's gaze settle on Marco, full of venom and barely leashed aggression. The Beta averted his eyes, but did not shrink under the glare. "It's policy. Just for a sec."

Levi was about to tell Marco that it was okay, everything was fine here, but then he was curious. He did not really think the Alpha would be able to leave him alone in the room with another person, even if it was a Beta. Eren was taking deep breaths, clenching his fists, tilting his head like a dog as he wrenched his eyes shut. He opened his mouth, jaw popping before he brought it closed again and opened his lids up to reveal bright gold eyes. _Shit, those eyes are sexy._ Then the Alpha leveled that stare on Levi before he took a step forward, kneeling on the mattress and leaning over towards him. Eren's hands were back in Levi's black locks then, and the Omega fought down a moan as the Alpha began rubbing his throat over Levi's hair, covering it in his scent, spreading it through the strands with his fingers. Levi bit his lip, but it wasn't enough to stop the high pitched whimper that came out, a wanton sound that he wanted to swallow back into his mouth. Eren growled at the noise, and his movements became more frenzied, hand slipping down to grip his Omega's jaw as he slid his throat over Levi's pulse point. The Omega was panting, and their faces were so close there was no chance it was lost on the Alpha. Suddenly Levi found his hand moving on its own, burying itself in Eren's messy brown locks and clutching tight, holding the Alpha against his skin with a groan. Eren was shivering, his own palm closing over Levi's, squeezing tight like he never wanted to let go. Levi hadn't noticed when his legs opened up, but they couldn't possibly spread any further. The Omega buried two long digits between his lips, biting back more debauched sounds. Then they heard Marco clearing his throat, and the Alpha threw himself away from Levi, breathing ragged and broken. He put his hands on his knees and leaned over, head handing loose on his shoulders as he calmed himself. When he finally stood up to his full height and looked at Levi, he was the one who whined, reedy and breathless. Levi saw the Alpha's gaze rake over him, clothed only in Eren's boxers with knees thrown wide, fingers of one hand in his mouth, the other tangled in his own hair. The Omega trembled beneath that lust filled gaze, feeling it under his skin and in his chest and on his lips.

"Fuck." Eren pulled himself from the room slowly, as though he was walking through deep water, and the door clicked shut behind him. Levi just stared at it for long moments, knowing the Alpha was just on the other side, body strung tight with need. Blood swelling in Eren's veins just for him. It was a fight to pull his knees together, release the grip he had on his hair, drop his hand from his mouth. The Omega wasn't sure how long he was silent when Marco's wry voice made him jump.

"So everything's okay here, I take it?" Levi glared at the Beta, snatching up the clipboard and pen and filling in the blank spaces with an impressive amount of violence. Marco had not known it was possible to write with such hostility.

"Marco, you're a nice person, but I really want to stab you with this fucking pen right now." The Beta chuckled, leaning against the wall and grinning. It was easier to distract himself from the urges of his heat when the Alpha was not in the room, but even so, Levi wanted him back in there. Wanted those feral gold eyes on his, that wild scent riling in the air.

"I don't think I need to worry about you. I think you'll be just fine." Silence reigned for a few moments as Levi finished signing and dating the forms, before throwing them down on the blankets. He buried his hands in his hair again and brought his knees up, leaning his elbows on them with a groan.

"I'm losing my shit here, Beta." Marco just laughed.

"That's exactly what Eren said." Levi glanced up at him, gray eyes shining under furrowed brows.

"He did?" The Beta nodded, walking over to the bed and picking up the clipboard to flip through the pages, making sure everything was in order. "I feel... inside out. I don't know what I'm doing." Levi wasn't sure why he was confiding in Marco, but he'd been helping to care for the Omega for weeks, and the words were coming out against his will. Something about this agreeable bastard made you want to pour your heart out, and Levi hated him for it, just a little. "I thought I knew what I wanted." Marco sat down on the bed, placing a hand over one of Levi's to get his full attention. The Omega looked up into the Beta's eyes, but snatched his hand away with an irritated noise.

"What do you want now?" That gray stare flicked to the door for the barest of instances before settling back on Marco again, but the Beta caught it, smiling. "Is that so bad? To want to live?" _Who cares about living?_ It wouldn't matter if Levi was in his red heat or not. He wanted that Alpha, and he wanted him bad. So much that it terrified him. His desires were fighting against each other, his reasoning telling him one thing, his instincts something else.

"I don't want to be a slave to some Alpha. I'd rather be dead." Levi said it like a mantra, a prayer spoken so often that the words had lost their meaning. Marco squeezed Levi's knee this time, face full of sympathy again. _God, I want to hit you so much right now, freckles._

"I've known Eren a long time, since high school. He would never do that to you. Maybe it's not my place to say, but he's never even mated before, never shown the vaguest interest in doing so. I haven't seen him act like this, not once." The Beta laughed then, rolling his eyes. "It's really damn funny, actually. When his rut is over, hopefully I'll be able to tease him about this." Levi wasn't listening anymore, had stopped hearing what the Beta was saying after 'never even mated before'.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me." Never marked an Omega is one thing. Never mated? At all? Something entirely different, but Marco shook his head.

"He goes into rut every month, suppresses it every time." _Every month? Holy shit._ Levi had not thought such a thing was possible. Even Erwin only went into rut four times a year, and he was the strongest Alpha Levi had ever met, which was saying something. "Every couple of years or so he has one that the drugs won't suppress. Once he went to the hospital and had them tranquilize him for the duration, but apparently that didn't work too well for him, made him sick for weeks. Last time he handcuffed himself to his damn wall and starved for a week without telling anyone what he was doing. I have no idea where he even got cuffs strong enough to hold him, you know how Alphas in rut get. He told his sister to come check on him after it had passed, and she found him half dead on the floor. This time, I guess he couldn't take it anymore, so he came to the shelter. The last thing he's ever wanted is to mate, and here he is falling all over himself." Levi was quiet, letting everything the Beta said roll around through his mind. Marco found that he felt desperate, wanting to save this Omega by any means necessary. He always felt this way with an Omega in their red heat, but then again they'd always lost an Alpha. Now, it seemed like he could actually do some good, and he would say anything, do anything, if it would keep this one alive. The Beta stared at Levi until he caught his eyes again. "I've been here for half an hour or so, but he wouldn't let me wake you up until now. Know why?" The Omega shrugged, feeling a scowl spread across his features at Marco's words. "Because your tea wasn't ready yet, and Eren said you wanted some when you woke up." Levi's cut his gaze over towards the tray, tea and cups and sugar seeming to accuse him silently. "There's enough food in the kitchen to feed two dozen people. He cooked it all, all kinds of shit, because he didn't know what you would want to eat. I didn't even think he knew how to cook, never seen him do it before, and I've known him for over a decade. I know for a fact he's never made tea, doesn't drink anything with caffeine. Eren is, as you both put it, losing his shit. All because of you." The Omega wanted to rail against Marco, tell him how full of shit he was, but he knew the truth when he heard it. This Beta wouldn't lie to him after everything he'd been through.

"He told you to tell me all this." The Beta was shaking his head again, looking even more serious.

"No. He didn't. I'm sure he'd be furious if he knew I had mentioned any of it." Marco let out a bark of a laugh. "Especially the whole virgin thing. I may be dead if he finds out about that. Maybe don't mention it, if that's okay with you." All Levi could picture in his head now was his golden eyed Alpha running a bath, cleaning his room, making tea. Fumbling around with tea cups and sugar. Who the fuck put black tea in a plastic pitcher, anyway? _Fucking savage._

"Why tell me all of this? What does it matter to you?" Marco looked at him like he was a complete idiot, and it felt wrong to be on the receiving end of such a look, rather than the one giving it.

"I want you to live, Levi. There's no reason for you to die. I know firsthand what the wrong Alphas can do, how they hurt Omegas, treat them like property, take advantage. But I also know that not all of them are like that. Eren can't help it that he was born an Alpha. He had not control over it, just like you had no control over being born Omega. It's not fair to hold him accountable for crimes he didn't commit. All he has ever done his entire life is protect others, look out for his friends. Fight what he is." Marco was smiling again, a sad smile, full of old wounds and forgotten sorrow. "I've never seen two people more alike. Resisting their instincts with everything they have, even if it literally rips them apart." Levi felt the fight draining out of him, and he wanted to kick Marco all over again. His voice was dripping with sarcasm when he spoke.

"Okay, freckled Beta wise man. What the fuck am I supposed to now?" The Beta shrugged, picking up his clipboard and backing towards the door.

"That's up to you. If things don't work out here, your always welcome back at the shelter. We'll even come pick you up, if we have to. But to be honest? I don't want to see you back there. Maybe next time I talk to you will be at the dojo Eren works at, beating the shit out of him. Someone needs to, and from what you've told me about your history, maybe you could do it." _Maybe_ he could do it? Levi felt indignant.

"Tch! Of course I could. Alphas all think they're stronger just because of what they are. They're quick to underestimate me." Marco's hand was on the knob, smirking at the Omega with a knowing expression.

"Can't kick his ass if you're dead." This Beta fucker.

"You think you're clever, don't you, freckles?"

"I know I'm clever. I'll see you around, Levi. Hopefully later, rather than sooner." Marco exited without another word, leaving Levi alone in a bed that felt too big. Lost in it. The Omega rubbed a hand over his hair, pulling it down to breathe in Eren's scent with a sigh. Of all the Alphas in the world that could've walked into that fucking shelter...

 _Why'd it have to be you?_

...

Levi wanted to go back to sleep, but then he remembered stupid four eyes, feeling bad that he had not called her since he'd left the refuge. When Eren came back to his bedroom after seeing Marco out, Levi had asked to use his phone. The Alpha insisted on bringing him something to eat, so while he went into the kitchen Levi dialed Hange and waited to see if she would answer a number she didn't know. She was too curious not to, most likely. After a few rings four eyes picked up, voice shredded and low.

"Hello?" Levi had never heard her sound this way before, like her heart was breaking. He felt worry twist in his gut.

"Christ, Hange. What happened? What's wrong?"

"L-Levi? Is that you?"

"Yeah, no shit it's me. What the fuck is wrong with you? Who died?" Suddenly she was screaming into the phone, and Levi had to pull it away from his face with a wince to save his eardrums.

"YOU DID, YOU BASTARD! I called the shelter to talk to you and they said you weren't there! I asked if you left, and they wouldn't give me any information! I thought-" He heard her sniff, and when she continued Levi could tell she was crying. "I thought you had died, Levi. You fucking asshole! Where are you?" Guilt washed through him at the emotion in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Hange. I didn't mean- fuck. I'm just sorry, I guess. I left the refuge."

"Obviously, dumb ass. Where are you now? Do I need to come get you?"

"I'm..." Shit, there was no avoiding it. "I'm at some Alpha's house. An Alpha in rut." Suddenly Hange was cheering, and from the sounds in his ear he knew she was jumping around her room.

"Oh my God, Levi! I'm so happy! You're done being a fucking idiot!" After a few more loud shouts, she quieted a bit. "So, how was it? Was it good? Are you gonna get married and have a half dozen furious scowling little babies?" Though he was an Omega, Levi could not get pregnant even if he wanted to, which he fucking didn't. Years of illegal heat suppressants ripping up his insides had made sure of that, and honestly he was grateful for it. Hange knew better than anyone, with all her studies on Omegas and Alphas and fertility. Which made it even more irritating, knowing she was fucking with him just to be an ass.

"Shut the fuck up, four eyes. I haven't done anything yet, like it's any of your business."

"Why not? You're still in your heat, in a rutting Alpha's house? I can't really believe that. He'd be down your pants in an instant, and you'd be ass up and begging for it." She was right, it did sound ridiculous when she put it that way.

"Seeing is believing, I guess. I need some clothes, my phone back, my wallet. You wanna pack a bag for me and bring it?"

"If you need a bag, that means you're gonna go for it, right? If you thought you were going to die, you wouldn't need your shit. You're not gonna try to leave after I bring you clothes, are you? Cause I fucking won't do it. I'll make you leave that Alpha's house naked if you're not gonna mate."

"Can you just shut up and do what I ask, just once?"

"Only if you plan on getting laid. Levi, I know I said I supported your decision whatever it was, but after calling the refuge, after... after thinking you were dead? I don't support your choices anymore. I want you to live, and I don't care if you don't like it. I was wrong. You were wrong." The pain was evident in her voice, lacing everything she said with sadness. Levi wasn't sure what he was going to respond with until it was already out of his mouth.

"I was wrong. You're right." A sharp intake of breath, followed by a long silence.

"Really?" She was crying again. Hange never fucking cried, and Levi felt like an asshole for being the person who brought tears to those crazy eyes.

"Really, you stupid bitch. Bring me my goddamned clothes." It was only then that he realized he was really going to do it, mate an Alpha. Stay alive. He could've waited until afterwards to call her, have her come over just to pick him up, but Levi needed to see her now. She'd thought he was dead, and he wanted to erase those dark images from her mind right then. Levi would never tell his friend just how important she was to him, but he was pretty sure she knew anyway.

"EEEEEEEEK! LEEEEEEVIIIIIII! Oh! When I thought you were dead, I- uh... never mind. It's not important."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing! It's fine. I'll tell you when I bring you your stuff. Text me the address from your boyfriend's phone."

"Hange!"

"Awww, c'mon, let me dream! He's gonna save you, he's officially my favorite person ever right now! Hey, is he at least hot? Surely you wouldn't let some ugly Alpha take you home, right?" Levi was smirking then, and all he could think of was shining golden eyes and messy brown hair.

"You'll see him when you get here."

"Fuck, that good, huh?"

"Goodbye, Hange."

Levi hung up on her over her protests, smiling as he did so. _Stupid shitty glasses._ Then the Alpha was knocking on his own damned bedroom door, waiting for Levi to tell him he could enter. Levi felt nervous, panic running through his veins. What was he supposed to say to him now? _'Oh, I don't want to die after all, so would you please fuck me?'_ Shit. He found himself combing through his hair with his fingers, pulling the blankets up around his waist, gnawing at his lip. _Jesus, Levi._ All he had to do was wait for Hange to bring him some clothes, and after she left... Levi let out a shaky breath as butterflies twitched in his guts, throat going tight. What would it feel like? Those strong hands running up his sides, spreading his thighs wide, delving inside him...

Fuck.

Levi was so screwed.


	5. Rejoice

**Chapter Text**

When Eren went back into his bedroom the Omega looked guilty somehow, blankets tugged up around him as though he was trying to hide in them. It was strange to see, knowing how much Omegas hated clothes or fabric on their skin during a heat. The Alpha stood in the doorway unable to tear his eyes away from Levi no matter how hard he tried. His heart was racing just looking at him, climbing up too high in Eren's chest as he tried to force air in his lungs. Levi's scent was still in the room but it was different somehow, and after a few deep breaths Eren felt himself throb with desire, a growl forming at the back of his throat. _Arousal. Submission._ Thicker in the air than anything intangible had the right to be, and Eren felt like he needed to clear it away before he could walk through it, invisible webs blocking his path. This Omega was... willing? Wanting? Eren had never smelled such a scent before, not directed at him anyway, and he couldn't be sure he wasn't misinterpreting it. No matter how much he wanted Levi, the Omega would have to tell him what he wanted. He could not just read it from his body language, or his smell, or his eyes. Eren needed to hear the words, but looking at this fierce little Omega, he doubted they'd ever pass Levi's lips.

"Are you going to stand there staring or give me some damned food, you shitty Alpha brat?" Eren blinked a few times, looking down at the tray full of food like it had just appeared in his hands out of nowhere. _You're an idiot, Jaeger._

"S-Sorry. I didn't know what you'd want to eat. I brought some spanish rice, and some pasta. If you don't want it, there's also some plain white rice, and some soup. Or I can make you a sandwich, or some oatmeal, or-" Fuck, he was rambling and even though he knew it Eren couldn't stop, so he was grateful when that harsh voice cut him off.

"It's fine, just give it here." Eren held the tray out and Levi took it without glancing up. The Omega wasn't looking at the food, either, but at the floor next to the bed, shamefaced. "Thanks, I guess." The Alpha backed up a few steps, not wanting to get too close to Levi at the moment. Marco's scent was still in the air and Eren was on edge, holding himself back by a thread. He ended up leaning against the wall, hands shoved in his pockets as though the denim would keep him from pulling the Omega into his arms.

"You're welcome. It's no trouble." Levi held out his phone, still staring at the ground.

"I need you to text your address to the number I just called, so my friend can bring me some clothes." It took a few moments for the Omega's words to process, but when they did panic ran through Eren like electricity, lighting him up inside. The Omega would only need clothes if he was leaving, would never be able to wear them during a heat. Levi wanted to go, wanted his friend to come get him and take him away somewhere. He had not even been there a day, only a handful of hours, and he was sick of Eren already. The Alpha's eyes went wide and before he knew what he was doing he was standing next to the bed, hands shaking.

"Don't. _Please,_ don't. You just got here, you-" His voice held the crazed tones of insanity, desperation tinged with fear. He stank of terror, a scent he'd never caught coming from his own body before, and it made his nose wrinkle in disgust. He'd been about to say _'you can't leave.'_ But he could, couldn't he? Levi could walk out that door never to return, and there was nothing Eren could do to stop him. Eren dropped to his knees before the Omega, prostrating himself in a way he never had, not to anyone. He thought his instincts might make it impossible, but even that ancient part of himself seemed to realize that the very thing he sought was slipping from his grasp. He sank to the floor without difficulty, green stare locked on Levi. It was a gesture of subservience, and Levi's eyes looked like they might fall out of his head, mouth hanging open in shock. "Please don't leave. Stay here with me, Levi." The Omega tilted his head like he didn't quite understand at first, but then realization painted his features and he scoffed.

"I'm not _leaving,_ you idiot. I just want some clothes, my phone, my ID. Calm down." Eren sagged with relief, pressing his face into the blankets with a sigh and just leaving it buried there for awhile. His next words were muffled by the fabric of the comforter.

"Oh, thank fuck. You scared me." He stood up, taking his phone from Levi and retreating back across the room to stare at the blank screen. Eren looked between the phone and Levi, back and forth a few times before biting his lip, seeming uncertain. "Your friend. Who is it?" They both knew what he was asking without saying it directly. _Is it an Alpha?_

"Her name is Hange, she's my roommate. She's a Beta. She... she called the refuge earlier, and they wouldn't tell her anything, so she thought I was dead. She was pretty fucked up about it, and I need clothes and shit anyway, so I figure this way she can relax a little. If that's okay with you, anyway. I don't want you attacking her." Eren wanted to be indignant, offended, but it was a legitimate concern and not even he could say for certain that he wouldn't go after some strange Beta in his house while he was rutting, near Levi, who was in heat. She may have been his friend, his roommate, but it did not matter. An Alpha's instincts didn't know the difference.

"I can't say for sure that I won't, but I think I can keep it together. I'll probably have to take you outside to talk to her, though, having her in here will be too much for me. I don't know if I will be able to leave you there with her or not. Probably not, to be honest, and if she touches you I'll growl at her I'm sure. Is that okay?" He knew it wasn't really okay, but it was the best he could do. Even the thought of carrying Levi outside brought a snarl to his face, the idea of him leaving the protection of Eren's walls making him want to hiss. The Omega was poking at his food with a fork, stirring it around but not actually eating.

"We have a friend who is an Alpha, and he's pretty bad sometimes. She knows how to deal with you bastards. But I... I should probably apologize in advance, give you a fair warning. Hange is... fucking crazy, to put it mildly. She will say ridiculous shit and jump around like a little kid. Before she leaves, I guarantee you will have at least one stupid nickname that you hate. And that's best case scenario. She's extra happy with you right now, I can't promise she won't try to kiss you." Eren was beginning to get nervous, wondering how exactly he would deal with an exuberant Beta flitting around him while Levi was in his arms. He didn't want to do any harm to the Omega's friends, especially his roommate who he obviously cared about.

"Why is she extra happy with me?" Levi took a hesitant bite of the rice, chewing experimentally before swallowing.

"You got me to leave the shelter, in her mind you saved my life. She's the new best friend you never wanted." The Omega was eating in earnest now, trying not to shovel the food into his mouth like a starving man. Eren fought back a smile, much happier than he should be about Levi eating food he had prepared. The Alpha had cooked it, but it wasn't really enough. He wanted to kill something himself, skin it, butcher it. Roast it in a fire he started with his hands, make Levi eat pieces of it from his fingertips. Eren trembled at the thought, phone jittery in his grip as he tried to take deep breaths.

"Okay. I'll text her my address. Maybe warn her to try and... stay calm, or something?" Levi had to swallow a mound of pasta before he could speak. Eren could watch him eat for days, satisfied by the mere idea of filling his stomach.

"Sure. But it won't do any good." Eren found the number and saved it to his contacts under 'Hange' before texting his address, along with a brief message.

 **Eren: Eren doesn't want to eat you, so try to be calm.** Almost faster than it should be possible to type a response, his phone was vibrating.

 **Hange: Ooooh, Levi would've managed at least two shits and a fuck in there, so this must be the Alpha. Eren, I presume? I look forward to meeting you, beast man. You can't eat me, though, you need to eat Levi.** Eren smirked, liking this Beta already despite Levi's warnings.

 **Eren: I want to. Trust me. He doesn't want to be eaten yet.**

 **Hange: Ahhh, but he does! I think we'll get along just fine. Are you hideous, beast man? Send me a picture and I'll send you some of Levi.** His smirk spread out into a full blown smile, and he heard Levi cursing at the sight.

"Goddamnit, I should've known this was a shit idea. Don't talk to stupid four eyes like she's a human being or something. She's a fucking monster." Eren was already scrolling through his pictures, finding a suitable one of himself and sending it to Hange. He needed pictures of his Omega, and hell would freeze over before Levi let him take one.

"She's a monster. Duly noted." Levi glared at him for a moment before he continued eating, food vanishing off his plate impressively fast. When it was all gone, the Omega looked down at it in disbelief.

"Fuck, I can't believe I ate that much." Levi was rubbing absently at his stomach, less bothered by his state of undress than he should be.

"Do you need more? I can get you more. Or something else, if you want." Eren was taking the tray, now holding only an empty plate and a fork, no trace of food on it.

"No. I already feel like I'm going to explode."

"Okay. I'm going to put this up, I'll be right back."

Eren went to the kitchen and put the utensils in the sink before thinking better of it and washing them. As he was putting them away in the cabinet his phone went off again, and when he opened the messages he smiled. There were four pictures of Levi, each one better than the one before. He was scowling into the camera in the first, brows furrowed in irritation. Instead of looking angry, he just looked adorable to the Alpha, and Eren knew he was fucked. Another two were candid shots, the Omega not even aware the photo was being taken. Levi was reading a book in one, and holding a cup of tea in the other, staring off into space. The last one made Eren's chest swell with affection, and if the Beta that was coming over wanted to hug him, he would let her. Or try to, anyway. She had earned it by sending him these, especially the final shot. Levi was asleep, hair falling into his eyes, face slack and relaxed. His hands were curled up under his chin, the rest of him vanishing underneath a dark blanket. Eren's Omega was fucking _beautiful,_ and he wanted Levi to be his, wanted to be able to pull out his phone and say _'this is my mate'._ The Alpha saved the pictures onto his memory card, and when he went to reply to the Beta he noticed she had texted him a number as well.

 **Hange: That's Levi's number. I put yours in his phone under 'Sexy Beast Man'. I also sent your picture to him, it's saved as his background now.** God, Eren needed to hug this person, and right now.

 **Eren: I think I love you. You're officially my favorite person. Well, besides Levi.**

 **Hange: Understandable. I am great, it's a scientific fact. I'm on my way, I'll see you soon, beast man.**

 **Eren: Okay, oh great and powerful Hange.**

Eren tried to wipe the smile off his face before he went back to his room, but it was futile. Levi glared at him with a suspicious expression on his face, but the Alpha just ignored it, sitting down on the foot of the bed and getting comfortable. Hange would be here soon, and talking to her had made him realize he knew next to nothing about this Omega.

It was time to remedy that.

...

Eren could tell the Omega was eager for a knock at the door signaling his friend's arrival. It meant he would escape Eren's unrelenting questions, at least for a minute or two, but the Alpha could not help himself. He wanted to know everything about Levi, every little detail, every useless fact. He'd tried asking about his favorite color, or what kind of music he liked, only to be met with scoffs and silence, or Levi calling him a stupid brat. None of his inquiries merited a response, apparently, until he asked about how he made his living. His Omega worked with others like him who were rescued from harems and forced prostitution. When Eren asked if he was a counselor, Levi had laughed in his face. The Omega helped the victims in other ways, training them in basic self defense against Alphas, or in Levi's words, 'how to fight dirty'. He became animated as he spoke, gesturing with his hands and talking fast, coming alive under Eren's stare. It was obvious how passionate he was about his job, and the Alpha couldn't help but smile.

"It's mostly about helping them realize that they can say no, that they aren't underneath someone's thumb anymore. For however long they've been imprisoned, any sort of defiance meant pain, abuse. Now, they are free, but it doesn't really help with their instincts. Even if they're just at a bar, or at the park, or a party, when an Alpha propositions them they usually agree even if they want no part of it. They don't want to be hurt, and after being forced for so long it's automatic. So I teach them how to fight their instincts, how to push down that part of them that wants to submit just to escape confrontation. Train their body language, make them stand taller, make eye contact without looking away, raise their voice. Let them know that it's okay if they're terrified inside, or if they can't control the fear in their scent. As long as they can assert themselves, say 'no', push someone away, it's usually enough. Most Alphas they are going to encounter in the kinds of places a victimized Omega would go aren't going to get too forceful. Then, after they've gotten the hang of all that, we do basic Omegan self defense. It's just what it sounds like. Escaping holds, groin shots, eye gouging. Misdirection, if necessary. Get a little grabby if you can't get away, then knee them in the nuts or whatever and run. Anything to get away. Most Omegas are not physically strong, unless they specifically make an effort to strengthen themselves, which they'd have to do at home. Not a lot of Omega gyms, and a lot of those are just treadmills and yoga and bullshit. It's not that dojos and more serious places ban Omegas, but they usually don't feel comfortable around so many Alphas. Plus, even when I've tried going somewhere, no one will fight me seriously. The Alphas all think it's an excuse to try and fuck them, then get all offended when they take a punch to the face, or just want to make me visually submit and think that means they've won. Submission does not mean victory, not the way I see it, but I usually have to teach that lesson with my fists and then no one wants a second round. The Betas all end up going easy on me, which just pisses me off."

"I would fight you. Fuck, I have to be honest, I really want to fight you." Levi looked at him, and his face was screaming _'bullshit'_. "No, I'm serious. I work at a dojo, I'm an instructor. Most of the classes I teach are Betas, because not many of the other Alphas can manage it without forcing all of them to submit with their body language, and that's no way to show someone how to fight. I am used to suppressing my instincts, including the ones that would be telling me to protect you. It might take a little bit for me to get going, to get used to fighting an Omega, but I could do it without pulling my punches." His eyes lit up gold for a moment before fading. "I'd like to see how you move, Levi. I mean, I don't think we're in the same weight class or anything, but I could make an exception..." He trailed off with a smirk, the jab at Levi's height not going unnoticed by the Omega.

"Oh, you fucker. When all this is over with, I am going to beat that smile off your face." Levi cringed as he realized what he said, willing himself to vanish into the comforter. Eren's pleased expression disappeared at Levi's words, brows furrowing as he considered them. When all this was over, wouldn't the Omega be dead? If he was planning on being able to fight Eren, then that could only mean one thing, right? Coupled with the scent of submission in the air, subtle hints of arousal filtering into Eren's nose, and hope swelled up wildly in his chest.

" 'When all this is over'? Levi... what-" The knock Levi had been waiting for sounded, and he looked incredibly relieved that Eren had been interrupted. He was tugging the blankets off himself, moving towards the edge of the bed to make it easier for Eren to pick him up, but the Alpha did not move to do so. When the Omega looked up at him, he was staring into bright gold eyes. "We are going to discuss this again when your friend is gone. Me and you fighting, when 'all this is over'." Levi swallowed so hard that it was audible, fighting the urge to look away from that stare in submission. The Omega held his gaze through sheer force of will, and Eren could smell his own lust rising in the air. It was turning him on, making his cock swell and throb, watching Levi resist his nature to challenge him. Most Alphas hated it when someone wouldn't avert their eyes. Eren never wanted Levi to look away, wanted to keep that gaze even as he slid inside him... _Fuck._

"We can discuss it all you want." Now it was Eren's lids falling closed as he shuddered, hearing promises laced in between those words unsaid. When he opened them up he pulled the sheet off his bed, wrapping it around Levi's shoulders. The Omega cringed at the touch of the fabric on his skin. It was a miracle he could even lay on the bed without scratching his flesh off, let alone feel bedding all around him this way.

"I know it itches. I'm sorry, but I can't take you out there like this. You need to... be covered. Christ, I sound like a psychopath." Eren felt stupid but Levi nodded, not saying anything as Eren scooped him up into his arms for the second time that day, holding him tight to his chest. He didn't move at first, just pressed his face into the Omega's hair and breathed in, his own scent thick in the strands. _Mine._ Eren bit his tongue to keep the word back, tasting blood on it, but was unable to fight the moan that came out. Everything in him wanted to throw Levi back on the bed, bury his lips against the Omega's, tear off those boxers and spread his thighs wide-

"Are we going to stand here or go talk to Hange?" Eren nodded a half dozen times before he finally started to walk towards the door. He unlocked all the knobs, holding Levi in one arm effortlessly as he did so, resting his hand on the knob for an eternity before swinging it open. The Alpha stepped outside before Levi's friend could even consider going into Eren's house, feeling a bit guilty but wanting to be cautious. He looked at the Beta, a tall brunette with glasses and a ponytail who smiled at Eren like he had saved the world. Hange's grin went maniacal as she took in the sight of Levi in Eren's arms, the Alpha's eyes glowing bright as he breathed in the unknown Beta's scent. Eren liked this girl without even meeting her, had an unexpected ally in her for which he was grateful, but he was still growling at the back of his throat.

"Hello, beast man. It's nice to meet you." Eren's head was tilting, lips coming up in a snarl as he tried to get words past them, failing. "Oh, I've got him speechless Levi, look at that!"

"Beast man? Christ, Hange, can you fucking NOT, please?" She was bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet, eyes crinkling under the strain of the huge smile she wore.

"I really want to hug you right now, Levi. I thought you were dead!" The Alpha's growl increased in volume, gaze narrowing on the Beta against his will. "Don't worry, beast man, I won't. Can I pet his furious little head or something, though? Please, angry Alpha, sir?" Eren's jaw popped again, sore from being tensed and strained and flexed all day. He bit words out through it somehow, rough and full of gravel.

"Sure. Go for it. Fast, though." Hange jumped in a little circle, hands flying around her face before she reached out and ruffled Levi's hair affectionately. Then Eren snapped at her, teeth clicking together over empty air as the Beta jerked her hand back just in time. The Alpha was cringing even as he bared his teeth in a hiss. "Fuck, I'm sorry about that. Can't really help it right now." Hange just cackled, delighted that there was an Alpha this protective over Levi.

"It's fine! I expected it. I would've been disappointed with anything less!" She picked up a backpack that was on the porch behind her, holding it out to Alpha and letting it dangle from one finger. "Here's this. Don't let him have any of his stuff until after he gives it up, okay Eren?" Levi made an irritated sound through his teeth, and Hange deposited the bag beside their feet.

"Oh, we're on a first name basis are we, shitty glasses?" Hange clasped her hands in front of her chest, rocking back and forth with glee.

"Why yes! We're texting buddies!" Levi ran a hand over his face, sighing heavily into it.

"Oh my fuck, God help me." Hange was backing away, sensing the aggression that was rising in the Alpha. He was keeping it together admirably, considering she was an unknown Beta in his territory along with everything else, but even Hange knew when to retreat. Then Levi remembered what Hange had said on the phone. "You did something stupid, you were going to tell me when you came. Spit it out, you maniac."

"Oh, well... I thought you dead, and I called Erwin and told him, asked him to come home." Levi's jaw dropped, eyes going wide in horror. Eren felt the Omega tense in his arms, and curiosity rolled through him. Who was Erwin, and why did Levi's muscles freeze up at the mention of his name? Was he afraid of him, somehow? Levi did not seem the type to fear someone, no matter who is was, and Eren hated this 'Erwin' on principle. Anyone who made his Omega so nervous was worthy of Eren's wrath, as far as he was concerned.

"You fucking what?" She held up her hands in a gesture of surrender, taking another step backwards, the faintest trace of fear tainting the air.

"I'm sorry! I was upset, you were dead, I needed a fucking Erwin hug, alright? I called him back after I talked to you and let him know it was a false alarm, told him what happened, but he was already back in town. Damn, is he pissed at me now. He thinks I sent him away so you could die, which shit, I guess that's exactly what I did? I made a mistake. Too late now! Your phone is on silent, but I bet he's blowing it up right now."

"You told him I was at an Alpha's house." Now Hange was cringing, having the decency to look at least a little ashamed.

"I had to! He would've headed to the shelter, and when you weren't there he would've gone ape shit! At least this way he knows your safe!"

"Erwin will not see this as safe, four eyes. The house of an Alpha he doesn't know, with me in a red heat? Fuck, Hange, you're a goddamned idiot!" Levi was shouting the last part, and Eren had to force his feet to stay where they were. His Omega was upset at this woman, and his instincts were telling him to tear her apart for making him mad. Then Hange was yelling right back, and Eren was shaking with fury, teeth grinding together under the strain.

"YOU'RE THE IDIOT, LEVI! You were going to kill yourself just because your too fucking stubborn! Terrified to mate and so you were gonna let yourself die! There's nothing to be afraid of!"

"I AM NOT AFRAID!" Hange blinked, but then she was smiling again, watching as Levi's hands clutched absently at Eren's clothes, head curled against his chest. She opened her mouth to reply, but she didn't get a chance. The Alpha was speaking then, words laced with poison and rage. His low voice gave a false sense of calm to them, but those bright gold eyes and trembling hands belied his anger. Each syllable came out meticulously and sharp, forced through teeth that wanted to sink into flesh.

"Hange. It's been nice to meet you, but I need you to leave now. Slowly, without turning around."

"Sorry, Levi. I wasn't trying to upset you. Ah, I'll see you later, beast man. Maybe when you don't want to kill me, eh? No hard feelings, just get my boy between those sheets, okay?" Levi groaned out loud, part of him wishing that the Alpha had taken a few of her damn fingers before. Hange was walking backwards down the stone path, and when she got to where her car was parked she felt around blindly until she located the door handle. If she had turned her back on Eren he would've put Levi down and pounced on her, held her to the ground by her throat until she submitted. Hange waved one last time as she opened her door, sliding into the car before starting the engine and pulling away. Eren stared at the road she had disappeared down for a long time before his instincts finally calmed enough to allow him to pick up Levi's bag and head back inside. After locking the door, he carried the Omega back to his bed and lay him down over the blankets. He looked at Levi's backpack suspiciously, like it was full of snakes ready to erupt at any moment. Eren offered it to the Omega, who took one look at Eren's face and shook his head. The Alpha sighed, holding it out insistently with a frown, looking ashamed. He'd behaved like an animal again, just like with Marco, and Eren was _so fucking sick_ of letting his instincts rule him so completely.

"I'm sorry. I'll text your friend, apologize to her. I didn't mean to be... " Levi found himself snickering in spite of everything.

"An Alpha?" Eren shrugged, sitting down on the bed and tossing the backpack to the floor when it became clear Levi was not going to take it. His emotions were swirling around wildly inside him, pulling him ten different directions at once.

"I guess."

"Hange's a little hard to deal with on the best of days. 'Beast man'." Levi snorted, and Eren found it more attractive than should be possible. "Christ, I feel like I should be the one apologizing." Eren was running his hand through his hair, messing up with already wild locks even further. Levi's scent had grown even stronger, so powerful now that Eren could taste it in his mouth. _Willing. Wanting._ The Alpha in him was screaming to be let out, demanding that he take and ravage and devour. Eren could feel his eyes glowing bright, as they had been since he came back inside with Levi. He had to get away from this Omega for a few minutes, right now, or he was going to do something he couldn't take back.

"I'm going to go take a shower." He looked up at Levi, eyes pleading. What they were asking for, the Omega didn't know. "When I get out, I want to come talk to you. About our fight." Eren didn't want to talk about fighting, and Levi knew it, but that was okay. The Omega was ready to do more than talk.

"Okay." Eren tried to reign himself in, bring his stare back to green, still his shaking hands, but it was no use . He stood up, gathering some clothes from his dresser before moving towards the bathroom. As he lingered in the doorway he looked back at Levi, hesitating. Eren strode purposefully back towards the bed, leaning over the Omega with an unfathomable expression. He looked at Levi like he had all the answers, like he held the world in the palm of his hands. The Alpha moved in slow, pressing his face into Levi's hair, breathing in as he kissed those dark strands. Levi went totally still, fisting his hands in the bedsheets to keep them from pulling Eren down onto the mattress. He rocked in place, letting out a ragged gasp and closing his eyes tight. When Eren finally pulled back they were both shaking, and his legs were made of lead as they carried him away.

Something inside Levi shifted. A whisper in his mind said, _'soon'_.

Actions


	6. Reach

Smut warning.

 **Chapter Text**

When Eren finally left the room Levi felt his scent rise, trying to call the Alpha back instinctively with the smell of the heat. As the sound of running water filtered under the door to the bathroom the Omega picked up the backpack Hange had brought, almost afraid to open the damned thing. There was no telling what she had put in there, really. It could be full of sex toys for all he knew. When he unzipped it and saw clothing with his cell phone and charger piled on top, he breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank fuck._ Levi picked up his phone with a grimace, dreading what he knew he would find there. As he tapped the screen on he saw he was right. Fourteen texts, a dozen missed calls, and he didn't need to unlock it to know they were all from Erwin. He swiped across the screen anyway, and when his home screen came up he felt his teeth grind together. There was picture of Eren saved as his background image, smiling into the camera, sharp white teeth and bright green eyes. _Damn it, Hange._ This was her doing, had to be, and he wanted to strangle her all over again even as he stared at the photo of Eren with hungry eyes. Fuck, he was beautiful, even Levi could admit that to himself. That emerald stare, tanned skin, messy fucking hair that Levi wanted to comb with his fingers... _Christ._ He didn't even change it back before opening his messages. Levi could always blame Hange, and there were worse things to look at than Eren's face.

The messages from Erwin were predictable, and somehow not as irritating as expected. _Where are you, are you okay, I'm headed back to town, I'm worried about you, Hange is a fucking idiot, please call me back..._ Well, he was right about Hange, if nothing else. Erwin was just concerned about him, wanted what was best for the Levi, but considering what he had told the Omega about his red heat Levi was still angry enough to not reply. The last thing he wanted was Erwin trying to track him down, especially right now. He didn't have the energy to deal with the bastard on top of everything else. After his heat had passed, which if all went well should be in the next twelve hours or so, the Omega would call Erwin and tell him that he was going to be okay. Levi was surprised when one of the texts was not from his stupid Alpha friend, but Petra instead. He opened it with a frown, feeling guilt wash over him as he read the Omega's message.

 **Petra: They told me you went to the shelter for your red heat, and that you're refusing Alphas. Tell me it's not true, Levi.**

The text was dated over a week and a half ago, a few days after he had gone to the refuge. They would have been forced to cancel the sessions he had scheduled with his Omegas until they found a new instructor, which would be no easy task. Now all he could see was Petra's face, eyes perpetually on the ground, wide and always full of fear. He'd been trying to show her how to be strong. Instead, he had been the one who was weak, running from his problems instead of facing them, hiding in a shelter instead of finding someone to mate. Levi was not worthy of helping these Omegas, not if he couldn't even help himself. The Omega texted Petra back, fingers sluggish over the keys.

 **Levi: It's not true anymore. I'm out.**

Levi hit send, feeling every bit the asshole that he was while he waited for her reply. He'd betrayed his clients, too wrapped up in his own problems to realize the kind of message he would be sending them with his actions. Levi was the strongest Omega they knew, physically and emotionally, and many of them worshipped the ground he walked on. He was an Omega just like they were, and yet he was fierce and brave and powerful. Many of them had told Levi that he made them want to keep on going when they would have just disappeared into themselves, closed off from the world. If he would rather succumb to his red heat than mate an Alpha, what could they ever hope to do? Many of them were terrified at the prospect of mating for the first time after their release from captivity, and part of Levi's job was help them realize that not all Alphas were the monsters they'd known. Now he was making a liar out of himself, destroying the progress they had made in one fell swoop. They deserved more than that from him, and it was time to put his money where his mouth was. To practice what he preached. For himself, but also for them. The Omega's phone vibrated, pulling him out of his introspection.

 **Petra: Oh Levi, I'm so happy to hear from you. I thought you were gone. If you're out, that means you mated an Alpha right? Your first one?** Anyone besides one of his Omegas and he would have torn them open for asking, but he owed this girl an answer.

 **Levi: Not yet, but soon. I'm at an Alpha's house. He's nice, I'm safe.** If he did not assure her of his safety Petra would surely have asked, been worried. She was too nice of a person and Levi did not deserve her friendship, but here she was fretting over him. After a moment she responded, and when he read it he was not surprised, but it cemented in his mind what he had to do.

 **Petra: Afterwards, do you think... I'm sorry for asking, but could we talk about it? It's been awhile since I was freed, and I've been suppressing. I know I'll have to mate soon, but I'm afraid to. None of the Omegas I know really understand, besides you.**

 **Levi: I would be happy to talk to you about it, Petra. I'm sorry for worrying you guys, I was being stupid.** Levi realized he needed to call his employer, have them inform his clients that all was indeed well and he would be resuming their normal schedules.

 **Petra: Everyone is afraid sometimes, even you I guess. It's okay. I'm just glad you're okay. Oh hey, is he cute?** There was that word again, _afraid._ Levi had screamed at Hange that he was not, but coming from Petra, unassuming and quiet and kind, he realized it was true. He had been afraid. Thinking of the Alpha in the next room, those eyes flashing gold, restraining himself even under the weight of his rut... Levi realized he wasn't afraid anymore. He was ready.

 **Levi: He's not bad. When everything is settled, I'll call you.**

 **Petra: Thank you, Levi. Good luck. ;)**

Levi was rolling his eyes at the fucking winky face she had sent, and if it was anyone else they would have heard what he thought of it, but Petra was safe from his wrath. All his Omegas were, and they damn well knew it, had learned how to push his buttons as surely as Hange. Levi let them, and reveled in it. They were reclaiming power in some small way, and if he could give them that, they were more than welcome to fuck with him. Levi could take it.

When the door to the bathroom opened he jumped, setting his silenced phone on the beside table and glancing over at Eren with wide eyes. _Holy shit._ All the Alpha was wearing were black pajama pants, loose and hanging low on his hips. He had towel dried his hair poorly, and it dripped onto his shoulders, water sliding in rivulets down the chiseled muscles of his chest. Levi followed the droplets with his eyes, down the valleys of his abs, in the v that disappeared into those pants, and realized he was staring only when Eren cleared his throat. He jerked his gaze up to the Alpha's guiltily, only to see a smile on Eren's face that said, _'Like what you see?'_ Levi did. _Fuck,_ he really liked it. Wanted to lick up those drops with his tongue. _Good thing, since he's going to mate you._ Pheromones from the Omega filled the air, potent in a way they'd never been before. Levi knew when Eren caught the scent, because his eyes flashed gold and he caught his breath.

"L-Levi?" It wasn't even really a question, but the Omega needed to answer it all the same. What could he say? He felt himself blushing fiercely as his eyes locked on the blankets. Levi picked at his fingernails, chewed his bottom lip, shifted under the bedding. Now that he'd made his choice his body seemed to know it, and the symptoms of the heat were riling. Levi itched, flesh stretching over sharp bones, shaft throbbing mercilessly in his borrowed boxers. Everything would get worse until he felt Eren's skin against his own. He could smell his own arousal surging up, knew that the Alpha could as well. The Omega's breaths were coming faster, making him pant and gasp for air. " _Levi._ " He couldn't keep his gaze averted when Eren said his name that way, full of lust and want. Levi met his eyes, forced them to stay on the Alpha for what he was about to say.

"I-I... I w-won't let you seal the bond with me, even if you try. Not r-right now." _Not right now?_ Fuck, that made it sound like he was going to mate this Alpha more than once. _But you are._ Levi shook his head without breaking away from Eren's stare. It wasn't the time for uncertainty. He'd meant to say something much more decisive than that, somehow. The Alpha was looking at him, feral and hungry, a predator starved laying eyes on his next meal. Levi shivered under that gaze, mouth going dry.

"I can't bond with you without mating, Levi. I won't mate you against your will. No matter how much I want you." Even as he said the words Eren was moving forward, fists opening and closing on empty air. Those golden orbs would illuminate the night with their brightness. Instead of being harder to say, the words came easier with the weight of his presence pressing down on Levi. An Alpha with an Omega in his sights. Levi could _feel_ Eren looking at him.

"I know. I... I don't want to die, Eren." Eren took a deep breath, teeth bared as he fought down his instincts. Why he was still resisting them when he did not have to, Levi was not sure.

"If you want me to mate you, if you will let me... I need to hear the words, Levi." He'd just fucking said them, hadn't he? The Omega hated Eren and respected him all at the same time. Hated the Alpha for making him say it. Respected him for needing to hear it. Levi's insides lurched violently, body seeking to throw itself at the Alpha. Legs wanting to shoot wide, hands craving flesh underneath them. But he would have no relief, not if he couldn't get the words out. Not from this Alpha who was too honorable for his own good.

"I w-want you to mate me, Eren." Levi had been braced for Eren to pounce, shove him down into the mattress, rip his boxers off and take him. Instead the Alpha stood his ground, growls pouring out of his throat, eyes strobing from gold to green and back again, over and over as he tried to remain in some semblance of control.

"You're sure? I... I don't think I can be gentle. Won't be able to stop myself from biting you." Fuck, it was supposed to be a warning, but it sounded like a promise to Levi's ears. Instead of replying, when he first tried to answer all that came out was a needy whine. Levi tried again, hands running across his own skin, over his chest, down his stomach, catching the Alpha's gaze as they did so.

"It's fine, I'm sure. What kind of fucking Alpha are you anyway? You can bite me just don't..." The Omega looked at Eren's lips, wanted them on his own so badly it terrified him. Knew that if that mouth kissed his, he'd be lost to this Alpha for good. "Don't kiss me." Pain flashed through those shining eyes, sharper and more acute than any Levi ever remembered seeing. His chest ached at the sight, heart twisting inside it that he had caused such sorrow to pass over that perfect face.

"Not anywhere?" An image of that mouth sucking his length in flashed through his mind, and Levi whined again, fighting the urge to take himself in hand then and there.

"N-not.. just not on my lips." Levi felt traitorous just saying it, instincts flaring inside, telling him that he was wrong. _Wrong, wrong, wrong._ The Omega within begging for the kiss he'd just refused.

"I'll take that mouth one day. It's mine." Levi's brow furrowed, and the he realized that Eren was waiting for an answer. _Fuck, just touch me already, I'm dying here..._ Levi was about to start begging, pleading, could feel tears stinging his eyes. The Omega would say anything to get those hands on him, but Eren would be able to sense the truth in his words.

"O-okay. One day."

Then the Alpha jumped at him, jerking the blankets off and shoving Levi roughly into the bed with his body. Eren's skin was hotter than it should be, even warmer than Levi's heat ravaged flesh, and when it slid against his own the Omega moaned. He waited to feel harsh fingers pulling his boxers off, wanted them, but they didn't come. Instead Eren was leaning in close to Levi, golden eyes darting around his face, hands coming to rest on the Omega's cheeks. The Alpha thumbed over his lips, and as he looked at them he growled, wanting to taste them. That savage expression was enough to make the Omega beg, but he couldn't get anything out, mouth frozen and useless. Levi was writhing underneath Eren, desperate for _more,_ legs going around the Alpha's waist to dig into his back, trying to pull him closer. He needed all of him. Eren's touch and Eren's teeth and Eren's skin. The whole world, nothing but him. Then the Alpha pressed his lips next to Levi's mouth on either side, as close to those lips as he could get without touching them. After that he was kissing the Omega's chin, his cheeks, his forehead, his eyes. Every inch of Levi's face, covered with Eren's hungry mouth as he eased his legs in between the Omega's, slotting them against each other. Two pieces made to fit together. Levi realized how small he was beneath Eren, and instead of feeling anger it just felt _right._ As the Alpha's lips painted his desire across Levi's skin, the Omega felt emotion swelling within him, breaking out of his heart to sail through his veins. His mind tried to put a name to it, and he fought it down, afraid of whatever it was rushing in his blood, twisting up his spine, pooling in his stomach. More than desire, more than need, more than the lust that was shading his vision in red. Too much more. More than Levi could stand to feel. Instead he focused of the ache climbing up his shaft.

The Omega thought he'd known what it was to want when he entered his heats. He had never been more wrong. Levi's hands moved on their own, burying themselves in that messy fucking hair as his hips rutted up into Eren's, seeking friction. The Alpha growled, locking eyes with Levi as he leaned into his mouth and took the Omega's bottom lip in between his teeth. That stare was defiant, and even though he didn't speak Levi knew what Eren was saying. _You said not to kiss your lips, but this is not a kiss._ Those bright eyes dared him to complain as Eren ran his tongue over it, groaning at the taste. Levi wondered at the restraint required for an Alpha in rut to claim his mate without claiming his lips. It made him dizzy, desire sharpening to a painful degree. A reedy sound came out of Levi's throat, and part of him wanted to swallow it back down, but another part wanted Eren to hear how much he needed him. Needed him _now._

The Alpha finally released Levi's lip from his teeth, looking at it with dark promises of things to come before he started rubbing their throats together. Marking them both, drowning them in each others very essence. It was a potent thing, something that would linger for weeks no matter how much they showered. Something that would warn those around them to stay away, speak directly to that ancient part of the brain that processed fear. Twin scents rose up as the Alpha slid their pulse points against one another, one of his hands sliding down Levi's neck, over his shoulder, down to his chest. When Eren ran a thumb over the Omega's nipple, Levi slammed his hips up into the Alpha with a growl of his own. His fingers were just as bruising on Eren's skin as the Alpha's were on his own, clutching at his shoulders, his arms, his back. Pressed against each other, skin to skin, and still Levi wanted him _closer._ Wanted him inside.

"Fuck, _please,_ Eren."

His voice was not his own, but something high and full of need that Levi did not recognize. Eren just growled in response, sinking his teeth into Levi's throat as he gripped the Omega's hips with vicious fingers and ground their lengths together, clothes keeping that sweet skin apart. Levi felt the bite break the skin, felt blood trickling down his neck, and he moaned louder than he thought possible. Such a bite would be incredibly painful for a Beta, or even an Omega who was not in heat. For Levi, full of hormones and lust, it felt like he'd come home after a lifetime lost in foreign lands. The Alpha tightened his jaw, tongue laving up the blood as it seeped from the wound, beastly sounds pouring from somewhere deep in his chest. The Omega had never felt anything so right in his entire life as this Alpha's teeth buried in him. He wanted to be covered in those marks, wanted them tattooed into his flesh for the rest of his life. When Eren pulled back Levi whimpered, only to grunt in pleasure as the Alpha switched from right to left, biting down on the other side of his throat in turn.

"Oh, fuck... Nnnngghh..."

Levi was clawing and shaking, legs sliding up and down uselessly on Eren's back. Hips thrusting up into the Alpha's stomach, mouth making sounds that he'd never heard before. He was close to finishing without even being touched, the sting of those teeth and the feel of that cock pressing into his own making his back arch. An Alpha in rut couldn't climax until he was inside an Omega, but the same did not hold true for Omegas. Levi was about to come in his clothes, and he could not manage even the slightest bit of regret. _Please, please, please, please..._ It ran through his head like a prayer, his entire being _begging_ and _shameless_ and _wanting._

"Shhhhh, little Omega, okay, I have you..." _He has me._ Fuck. Levi had spoken out loud without realizing it, and he could not regret that, either. Not when Eren was pulling back, tugging those miserable fucking boxers he was wearing off and throwing them to the floor. The Alpha discarded his own clothes as well, and Levi didn't have the chance to appreciate the sight of Eren naked before him. Mostly because the Alpha was settling between Levi's thighs and taking the Omega's cock in his fist. He locked eyes with Levi, and for a moment the Omega thought he was going to shoot with just the feel of that emerald gaze on him, that hot breath caressing his length. He waited for Eren to take him into his mouth, hands reaching out to clutch those brown locks again. The Alpha ran his tongue over the inside of Levi's thigh instead, teasing up bruises there before burying his teeth in it.

"Haaahhh..."

He did not break the skin there as he had on Levi's throat, sucking and licking at it with a patience he should not be able to possess. Not lost in a rut, Omega spread wide and willing in front of him. Eren just kept his eyes on Levi, switching to the other thigh as he tightened his grip on the Omega's shaft, not stroking, not squeezing. Levi felt like he would break inside, explode from the fire swimming within him. The Alpha bit down yet again, making the Omega keen and rut up into his grasp, fists brutal in his hair. Eren's free hand was sliding down Levi's knee, over the bruises on his thigh, down between his legs to rest over his entrance where he found it warm and wet. He released his teeth from the Omega's flesh, moaning as his eyes rolled back into his head. _Fuuuuck..._

"God, _Levi..._ "

Levi was making slick, body readying itself for Eren instinctively. Only a very willing mate produced slick, a way the Omega told the Alpha without words that they truly wanted them. Eren looked up at his little Omega, and his breath caught at the sight. Levi was flushed and panting, pupils blown wide with lust. Sweat shining on his skin, neck covered in a sheen of scent, fingers tightening mercilessly in their desperate clutching at Eren's hair.

"Eren... mmmmpfff..."

The Alpha slid two of his fingers inside the Omega, watching the emotions play over that perfect face. Watched as those eyes fell closed, head flying back into the pillows. Listened to Levi whimper and mewl and gasp, moaning his name, hips slamming down into Eren's fingers as he made sounds that the Alpha wanted to hear over and over. A song sung just for Eren. One he would learn by heart.

"Fuck, Levi." He curled his digits inside of Levi, seeking, searching. "You're so fucking beautiful." The Omega was shaking his head, teeth biting his own lip with troubling ferocity. Forcing words out through the lust.

"N-no. 'mmmm not. D-don't say that." The Alpha pulled his fingers back, sliding them back in deeper and bending them. He knew he'd found what he was looking for when Levi whined, cock throbbing in Eren's hand, body grinding down into his touch.

"But you are. So damn pretty. You are anyway, but like this?" He scissored his fingers open, twisted them, dug them into the Omega's prostate to pull more of those perfect sounds out. "I've never seen anything like it. Beautiful." Eren pressed harder, finally starting to stroke Levi's cock as the Omega became mindless beneath him. "Breathtaking." The Alpha ran his tongue over Levi's crown, tasting the pearlescent fluid leaking from it before taking him down into his mouth with a growl.

"E-Eren.. Nnnn... " Levi wrapped his legs around Eren's shoulders, fucking his mouth as he tried to breathe through the ecstasy shooting through him, filling him, overflowing. Taking over everything he was, leaving only this Alpha behind. His scent and his skin and his stare. That hot, wet tongue sliding around his shaft as Eren's fingers worked him, turned him inside out... Levi was wrecked under the Alpha. It was too much, too fast, too good. "Gonna c-come, Eren..." The Alpha took Levi's cock into his throat, which opened wide to take him down, nose buried in the Omega's skin. Levi's vision shot white as his body went tense, strung tight, wanton noises falling from his mouth. He called his Alpha's name as he erupted, feeling Eren's tongue work around him, swallowing every drop. Levi felt overwhelmed as the high of his climax lingered, ears ringing, spots swimming out of his eyes slowly when his vision started to clear. Rutting Alphas did not finish Omegas this way, did not take them into their mouths when the Omega was slicking and ready to be mated.

Did not look at them the way Eren was, green orbs shining with emotion as he prowled up Levi's body to put his lips by the Omega's ear.

"So fucking pretty. So perfect. You taste so good, Levi." Levi couldn't argue, couldn't speak, couldn't move. He was boneless, raven hair ragged in his face, thighs spreading instinctively for the Alpha as Eren fisted himself and ran the head of his cock up and down against Levi's slick hole. "Can I, Levi?" The Omega answered with a whine, pulling Eren's mouth down to his throat. Levi wanted to kiss him, wanted to bury his mouth against Eren's, let the Alpha claim every piece of him, inside and out. It terrified him, so he thrust his neck into those lips, seeking that sweet bite instead. Eren started to slide inside of Levi, agonizingly slowly, licking and sucking at the Omega's skin instead of sinking his teeth in. Levi had his legs thrown wide, hips loose in their sockets. Eren's hands were desperate on Levi, running hungrily over his stomach, his chest, his arms. They trailed down to his hands and Eren interlocked their fingers, pressing them on either side of the Omega's head as he sank into his mate. When he was buried to the hilt they both shuddered, Levi's arousal shooting hard again, fingers clutched together, holding tight. All the world was a memory, fading in the wake of their mating. Disappearing under its weight, and the Alpha did not mourn its loss. Eren rubbed their throats against one another, spreading scent and blood and sweat between them.

"Levi..." _I love you._ The words were in his throat, on his tongue, behind his teeth. They soared up, along with urge to bond the Omega. He fought them down savagely, could taste them in his mouth trying to force their way out, could feel his instincts rising to put his mark on Levi's throat, on Levi's wrists, on Levi's thighs. Eren barely knew this Omega, could tell you almost nothing about him. Had not even laid eyes on him a day before. It did not matter. His instincts were screaming inside, demanding release. Demanding he say the words. Demanding he seal the bond. The Alpha bit down on his lip, silencing them through sheer force of will.

Nothing would chase his Omega away faster than those words. Eren would never see this perfect creature again if he let them slip out and poison the air between them.

Instead he said Levi's name like a mantra, over and over as he began to thrust into the Omega. The Alpha pressed their foreheads together as he moved, and he tried to go slow, tried to be easy... tried and failed. Soon he was growling, hips pistoning savagely into the Omega as their fingers tightened, grip harsh and unforgiving and perfect. Everything in Eren's whole life had been leading him to this moment, and he welcomed each painful misstep, each bloody memory, each wound, each scar. Would take his suffering a thousandfold if it brought him together with this Omega. Levi was making those beautiful sounds again, whimpering and quaking, instincts singing out the rightness of it all. This was home, this Alpha spreading him open, his scent on Levi's skin, his bite on Levi's throat. This was where Levi belonged, lost and ravenous and wretched underneath Eren. His heart stuttered in his chest, and the Omega knew that no matter what he did, he would never be the same. This Alpha had come into that shelter, carried him away, rewritten his very existence. Without Eren, Levi would be dead.

Filled up with the Alpha, he'd never been more alive.

Now Eren's thrusts were growing erratic, and he reached up to close his palm over Levi's cock with a groan. That impossible heat wrapped around the Alpha, holding him tight as he slid in and out... Eren was losing his mind. There was nothing but Levi in it.

"Levi, Levi, shit, Levi..."

"Eren... A-Again..." The Alpha hissed before replying.

"Me too. F-fuck, Levi!"

Eren bit into Levi with a growl when he came, thrusting himself in deep, feeling the Omega's seed shooting over his hand as he milked out the last shivers of Levi's climax. He felt himself swelling, throbbing, and it took a few dazed moments and a strange tugging sensation before he realized what had happened. _Knotted._ Eren had knotted his Omega, the base of his shaft swelling to hold him in place, keep the Alpha's seed inside of his mate. He was quaking at the thought, and when he released his bite to look at Levi, he knew the Omega could feel it, too.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." It was only half true. Eren had truly not meant to do it, not that it was within his control. It wasn't something that happened every time an Alpha and Omega mated, and it usually only occurred with bonded pairs. But here they were, locked together, and Eren could not find it in himself to feel sorry. He wanted this Omega to be his, more than he'd ever wanted anything. More than he wanted air to breathe.

"S'okay."

Levi was still breathless and shaky, and now he could feel the Alpha within him, engorged and sealing him up tight. He wanted to moan at the feeling. His heat was not over, nor was Eren's rut. It would take several matings over the course of twelve hours or so before their hormones would ease back, releasing them from their sway. Right now, the Alpha was clutching Levi tight, pulling him flush against his chest and pressing chaste kisses to the Omega's hair, his cheeks, his throat. Eren's arms snaked around the Omega's back and squeezed. He spoke between the gentle brushes of his lips on the Levi's skin.

"Did I hurt you? Are you okay? I'm sorry about the... bites. I couldn't stop myself." Levi's hands were running up and down Eren's back, and it was the most precious thing the Alpha had ever felt. It felt sacred, somehow. Ritual. Something pure and incorruptible. He leaned into the touch, eyes falling closed in bliss when one set of those long fingers starting threading through his hair.

" 'mmm fine. S'okay."

The Omega's words came out as mumbles, voice already rough from moaning so loudly. It was slurred, and tired, and fucking adorable. If Eren hadn't been so stupid in his post orgasm daze, he would've tried to keep Levi talking, just to listen to his incoherent babbles. The Alpha laid on his side, careful to keep Levi tucked in close so he did not hurt the Omega where they were knotted together.

"You're perfect, Levi. I want you to be mine. Even before we mated I wanted you. Now... Fuck." Now he felt like he would be unable to keep himself away from the Omega. Would follow him to the ends of the earth. Levi didn't say anything, just laid his head into Eren's chest with a sigh. The Alpha closed his eyes, and Levi followed suit. They could sleep until the knot released, and then their pheromones would wake them with lust and desperation. Levi had just begun to drift off in a haze of satisfied bliss, Eren's hands holding him tight, when he was jolted from his rest by a loud sound.

Someone was knocking on Eren's front door.

They were not knocking quietly.


	7. React

**Chapter Text**

Eren heard Levi whine over his own snarling, an Omega's cry coming from that throat with traces of fear in it, and it took him a few moments to figure out why. The Alpha forgot about whoever was at the door, pushing his aggression back to focus on his Omega, who was trembling now. He was calling out in answer, growling, rubbing his face against Levi's as he soothed him with those deep vibrations. It was not impossible to pull out of an Omega you had knotted, but it was extremely painful for them, while an Alpha felt little to no discomfort. Usually only a bonded pair would knot, so it wasn't really a concern for most Omegas. If they were close enough with an Alpha that they knotted, they did not need to worry about their mate carelessly hurting them. But Levi thought Eren was going to force them apart, pull out of his Omega to face what his instincts were interpreting as a threat. The Alpha's hands were on Levi's face, thumbs brushing over his cheekbones as he made soft shushing noises, pushing his hips up flush against the Omega to draw them closer together.

"Shhh, no, Levi, I'm not going anywhere. I wouldn't hurt you like that." Levi looked confused, and when his eyes went wide Eren knew that the Omega hadn't even realized he was making any noise. The sound cut off abruptly, and Levi bit his lip, brow furrowing. The cry had come out automatically, seeking to protect himself from the agony of a forced unknotting. He looked embarrassed, gaze dropping down and a flush painting his cheeks. There was another round of loud knocking, door rattling under the impact of an angry fist. The Omega looked up to Eren with a question in his eyes, and the Alpha was easing those dark strands out of his face, expression soft and affectionate. "They can bang on that fucking thing all they want. I'm not answering it until the knot releases." Levi buried his face in the Alpha's chest, arms curling into himself as relief flowed through him. He hadn't even known he was afraid, yet this Alpha was soothing him.

"How long d'they last?" Those hazy, slurred words made Eren smile. Levi had no personal experience with knots, nor did any of the Omegas he knew. It was impossible to knot an unwilling Omega, and those he dealt with were all unbonded. Mating was not something that Alphas or Omegas tended to discuss openly with people they were not close with, and Levi had no interest in it anyway. Now he wished that he'd paid a little more attention. The Alpha was still stroking Levi's dark locks, his other hand rubbing slow circles on the Omega's back. When he spoke Levi could feel the words, hot and breathy where Eren had his face pressed in close to the Omega's hair.

"It's different for everyone, I hear. Never dealt with it myself, obviously. Anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour. Supposedly if an Alpha senses a threat when he is knotted, it will release faster. Maybe this qualifies. Either way, they can knock until their knuckles bleed. Or they can break down the door, and I'll take that knife on the table and cut them open."

Eren said it calmly, without any venom or rage, and somehow that made it more threatening. Levi did not doubt for a second that he would turn that blade on anyone who tried to separate them. More pounding on wood, louder now. The Alpha felt his face freeze into a scowl as he tried to figure out who would be stupid enough to come knocking at his door. Mikasa was aware he was in rut, would know better than to come here unless she specifically wanted to fight him. Not that such a thing was impossible, but he had not pissed her off lately. If she felt like throwing punches, she would wait for him to return to the dojo and they could bash each other's faces in then. Armin might stop by if it was an emergency, but he would call first, would not be trying to smash his way through the door like whoever was outside right now. Jean always knocked like that, everywhere he went, as though you had personally wronged him and his ancestors and he needed to defend their honor, but there was no reason for horse face to show up. Mike would've had to tell him about Eren being in rut so Jean could take over some of his classes until he returned. Eren could only think of two people it could be, and he found himself growling again at the thought until Levi began to tense in his arms, scent going sharp with nervousness. The Alpha resumed his easy motions, combing his fingers through the Omega's hair, tracing them gently up his back, silencing the vicious sounds that wanted to escape.

"Sorry. Just... Pissed the fuck off right now, at whoever thinks it's a good idea to come fuck with me while I'm knotted in my Omega." Levi snorted, nuzzling in closer to Eren's skin. Not correcting the Alpha when he said _my Omega,_ and Eren wanted to shout in triumph even though it meant next to nothing.

"S'not like they know we're tied up." His voice was still a little mumbly, and _God,_ Eren wanted to listen to him talk all day. _They._ They could only be one of two people. Ymir, there to fight Eren for scent marking Historia.

Or Erwin, the Alpha that was friends with Levi. The one whose very name made Eren's Omega tighten with stress, smell faintly of fear. Eren was wrenching his eyes shut, head tilting to the side, teeth cutting into his lip as he bit back a growl. Ymir, he could handle without violence, most likely. The other Alpha? There could very well be bloodshed, and Eren couldn't find it in himself to care. The Alpha wasn't sure how Erwin would find this place unless Hange told him the location, which didn't seem very likely considering how excited she had been for Levi to be with Eren. Suddenly the knocking ceased, and Eren could make out two separate voices shouting. He cocked his head to listen, trying to pick out the individual sounds when suddenly he felt a shudder between his legs as the knot released, faster than he had expected even with an Alpha's rage flowing inside. Levi was sighing, easing off of Eren and pulling his hips back, feeling empty where he was previously too full. Something inside him mourned the loss, and Levi brushed the feeling aside with a frown. The Alpha laid him down on the blankets, snatching up his discarded boxers to clean the Omega a bit before he tucked the covers around Levi like he was putting a child to bed, wrapping him up tight. Eren sat down next to him, staring, unmoving. Wanted to throw his arms around the Omega and just lay on top of him, feel his small form underneath. Levi smirked up at him, wry expression on his face.

"Are you going to stare at me or go see who's outside?" Eren smiled back, listening as the voices outside increased in volume. One of them was louder than the other, definitely female, but it did not sound like Ymir.

"Stare at you." He pressed a chaste kiss to the Omega's forehead, bringing a blush to those cheeks again before he grabbed the other pair of boxers from the floor and tugged them on. Eren strode across the room, only to hesitate before opening the door and turn back to look at Levi where he lay in the Alpha's bed. It didn't seem safe, somehow, leaving his Omega in bed with just blankets to cover him. Only walls around him, instead of Eren's embrace. He had the absurd urge to go scent mark Levi again, even after Eren had just come inside of the Omega, his smell so thick that he could taste it in the air. Was worried he would leave and come back to an empty bed, this Omega just a phantom, a figment of his imagination. Punishment for all the things he had done wrong in his life. His brow was furrowing tight, lip back between those teeth. A screeching sounded out from his front yard, and he tried to pull his eyes away from Levi to no avail.

"What?" The Omega was twisting under his stare.

"Don't... Don't disappear on me." Levi looked at Eren like he was a fucking moron, then laughed.

"What am I going to do? Crawl out the fucking window? I can't even walk." The Alpha did not have an answer, could not tell Levi that he thought he was a creation of his mind, some wondrous lucid dream.

Eren sighed, shaking his head at himself and closing the bedroom door as he padded towards the front of the house. Now that he was not in the presence of his Omega, who had been stressing in the face of Eren's aggression, he felt it rising again. Felt his eyes flashing gold, teeth bared in a growl before he even went outside, fury swelling and shifting. He might not have wanted to frighten his Omega, but he certainly planned on striking some fear into whoever would dare to come between them. The Alpha threw the door open, slamming it shut behind him before he even looked to see who was on his porch.

No one. His porch was empty.

His yard however was not. There was a tall blonde Alpha standing in it, looking furious as he clawed at a woman who was clinging to his back, legs wrapped around him like he was giving her a piggy back ride. _Hange._ It was Hange, smacking the Alpha in the side of his head with her open palm and tugging viciously at those blonde strands. She was shrieking at him, right in his ear, and it took Eren a minute before he could understand anything she was saying.

"God damn it, Erwin, you are literally being a murderous cockblock right now! Do you _want_ Levi dead? Just go the fuck home! He'll call you when he's ready you nosy shit! Who the fuck activates GPS on someone else's phone, anyway? You're a fucking stalker, is what you are!" He was prying her fingers out of his hair, pawing uselessly at her face. It was clear he really didn't want to hurt her, but his patience seemed to be waning. Such a large Alpha could have the Beta on the ground and weeping in a few seconds. The blonde was exercising an impressive amount of restraint, really. Or it would've been impressive, if he was not in Eren's yard, too close to his house, too close to Levi. Causing a fucking scene that he was sure to hear about from his neighbors, though that was the least of Eren's concerns. Right now he was trying not to rush at the pair, take both to the ground and paint them red beneath his fists.

"Christ, Hange, get off! I have it in your phone too, you know! Everyone who works with us has it! It's a safety precaution!" Erwin was trying to shake her off, reaching around to pull at her arms, attempting to dislodge her legs. Failing, miserably. Hange snaked one arm over his eyes, the other under his neck to try and choke him.

"It's not for creeping on your friends because you want to follow them around! Stupid fucking eyebrows! Get back in the car you blonde bastard!" The Alpha opened up his mouth, angling it down to bite her. Hange did not move, did not scream, did not even react. Just started kicking her legs wildly into Erwin's gut, making him let our a sharp breath before he snatched her ankles and held them out from his body.

"I don't want to hurt you, you crazy Beta fuck, but I will roll around in the fucking dirt until you let go, and then I swear I will bash those damn glasses in, if you do not GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME RIGHT NOW HANGE!" It would have been comical, under normal circumstances. Eren would probably laugh about this later with Levi once he had calmed down. If he did not kill them both, that is. Right now, with the rut bearing down on him, his Omega alone in his bed in heat... He wanted to rip them both into pieces and leave their corpses in his yard as a warning to anyone who even thought about walking up his goddamned driveway. His growling had been slowly increasing in volume as they grappled closer and closer to his house, and they both seemed to hear it at once, heads snapping up to look at him. Eren knew he must have been a fucking sight, dressed only in a pair of boxers, hair as just-fucked as he was, sticking in every direction from Levi's clutching and tugging. Face and neck smeared with the Omega's blood from the bites Eren had given him, still sweaty and wet with scent. Hange would not have a keen enough nose to sense it, but the Alpha would be able to smell things that could not be seen. The scent of Eren's rut in the air, his seed drying on his skin, Levi's slick mixed with it. Any Alpha who had encountered it from an Omega before would catch it. It was be unmistakable. Eren knew that the sweet smell was burned into his nose forever. The scent was both dangerous and appetizing for an Alpha, depending on the situation. Erwin's nostrils were flaring, and Eren could tell the other Alpha caught everything coming off of him, mingling together, making the blonde's eyes flash white for the barest of instances. Eren's were already glowing steadily, had been since before he even opened the door, but watching Erwin's light up had him baring his teeth. Their heads were cocked to the side in opposite directions, jaws tense, body's strung tight with instinct. Then Erwin was relaxing his posture, trying to ease off without averting his gaze. Hange climbed down from his back, putting herself between him and Eren with her hands raised briefly in a placating gesture. Her voice was high and manic when she spoke, reaching back to tug on Erwin's arm, trying to pull him towards the car they'd come in.

"Eren! So good to see you again, my friend! It seems you and Levi have been busy, I'm glad! Now, me and Erwin over here were just leaving, so-" The blonde interrupted her, shaking off her arm and taking a step towards Eren.

"No, we weren't." Eren's growl shot louder, everything in him wanting to jump at this Alpha infringing on his territory, tear him open, leave him bruised and broken. _His Omega_ was inside in heat, waiting for him. Still suffering under the strain of his hormones. Needed Eren there to give him relief from it, yet here was this Alpha he did not know. Keeping him from Levi. Looking at Eren like he owed him something. _I owe you nothing, Alpha. Everything here is_ ** _mine._** He tried to tell him that, tried to get words out over the animal noises he was making, but found he could not. That was okay. Those bestial sounds said all Eren needed to say. "I'm not here to fuck with you, Alpha. My friend is in there. Once I make sure all this is okay with him, I will leave. But not until then." Hange spoke before Eren could make another attempt to, her words laced with irritation.

"Erwin I fucking told you already-" The blonde's voice was dark, cutting her off with cold finality

"I need to hear it myself! You lied to me, Hange, put Levi's life in danger. Your words are worth absolutely nothing." Hange was cringing, eyes full of shame. Part of Eren wanted to beat this Alpha just for putting that look on her face, and he didn't even know why, barely knew her. The defeat in that gaze just seemed _wrong._ Erwin was walking up towards the porch, and Eren moved down to the bottom step to meet him. The blonde met his eyes, and Eren felt his instincts sure up bright and hot, clouding his eyes in red. The words came then, low, laced with his rage.

"Get the fuck out of here, Alpha. Levi can call you himself, if he wants to talk to you."

"I want to see him. I need to be sure he's okay. He's my friend." Eren took a stop forward, and the blonde did not retreat from him. They were only a few feet away from each other, the air between them tense and electric.

"He may be your friend, but he smells like fear when he hears your name. Until he is out of his heat, you will stay the hell away from him. I will make sure of it. Now you need to go, while your legs will still carry you." A shadow crossed over Erwin's face at those words, but still he faced Eren down, mouth a grim line.

"I'm not trying to mate him. I just want to know that he wasn't forced into this. I don't know you, Alpha. Move aside, or I will move you myself." Eren was hissing, nails cutting into his palms as his fists clenched tight. His breaths were coming fast, eyes promising violence.

"Just you fucking _try it._ "

Something snapped in both of them at once, walls of control crumbling into dust as they lunged at each other. Erwin moved to throw a punch, but Eren was already ducking down under it, grabbing him around the back of his thighs and shoving his shoulder into the blonde's stomach. He lifted the larger man up just slightly to get him off his feet before taking him down to the ground, back slamming into the dirt with an audible thud. Hange was shouting at them, words incoherent in the background. Neither one was paying her any attention, all of their thoughts focused on the the fight before them. Eren was alight with righteous fury. This Alpha wanted to get to _his Omega._ Wanted to go into _his house,_ lay eyes on _his Levi._ Wanted to look at his Omega wrapped up in his sheets, covered in his scent, filled up with his seed. Still sweaty and slicked and aching for Eren. That sight was not for Erwin, was for Eren alone, and if he had to pluck this Alpha's eyes from his skull to ensure that he would do so with a smile on his face.

Erwin was moving, pushing against the earth with his feet to try and turn them over as his hands tried to find purchase on the smaller Alpha's arms. Eren shifted his knees up, wrapping those long legs around the blonde's waist to hold himself in place as he started raining down punches. He felt his anger like a tangible thing, climbing up the back of his throat, spilling from him like fire. The blonde was blocking most of the blows, a few hitting home and making his head spin. He was caught off guard by the sheer ferocity of the Alpha on top of him. Eren was smaller than him, by a significant degree, and he had not expected to be brought down so quickly, let alone be struggling under the weight of the fists flying at him one after another. In the back of his mind he was thinking that this was no normal Alpha, that he was unlike anything Erwin had seen before. He was primal. Savage. They were both growling and snarling, a sound that would cause anyone who heard it to shrink back in fear, two beasts out for blood. Hange had gone silent now, not that either of the Alpha's noticed. Erwin shook off his surprise, trying to pull his head together. He couldn't just play defense against this rut crazed Alpha. The blonde dodged one of the strikes instead of blocking, throwing himself to the side and knocking Eren off balance enough to turn over beneath him. He shoved his feet underneath himself, standing and trying to shake the Alpha off, only to feel one of Eren's arms snake under his neck. He held it tight to the blonde's throat, closing the elbow of his other arm over his wrist and tightening his grip until Erwin could not breathe under the pressure of the chokehold.

As black spots started to swim into the blonde's eyes he clutched at the arms on his neck, the brunette a deadweight on his back, sealing off his lungs. Erwin tossed himself backwards onto the ground as he had threatened to do to Hange before. The larger Alpha landed on top of Eren, his weight and the strain of the impact knocking the air out of the brunette's lungs and causing his arms to go slack for a fraction of a second. It was long enough for Erwin to pull out of his grasp, and then he was turning over to straddle Eren, trying to pin his arms at his sides. He would hold this fucking _boy_ down and make him submit, watch those eyes drop from his in defeat. Would bare his teeth in triumph before walking into his house, make sure Levi-

Erwin's world flashed black as a fist struck his face, right on the temple, followed by another that landed on his jaw. Suddenly his mouth wouldn't close right, and then he was listing to the side, Eren pouncing on him, knees on his shoulders to hold him still as those fists fell like rain. The blonde tasted copper in his mouth, and he began to wonder if his teeth were still all there when he heard a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Eren! Stop, it's enough! You fucking won, alright?!"

Everything stopped at once, a switch flipped, and Eren was flying off of the blonde in an instant. _Levi._ Hange was there on the porch, a wobbling Levi wrapped in a sheet, supporting himself with an arm over her shoulders while she had one wrapped around his waist. Eren was growling louder now, racing across his yard and up the stairs to snatch the Omega from Hange's grasp. He picked him up like a bride, clutching Levi tight to his chest as he shoved Hange viciously down into the yard with a hiss. Eren wasn't thinking straight. All he could think was _'she's touching my Levi.'_ The Beta stumbled, keeping her feet somehow as she moved over to where the blonde was sitting up, weaving back and forth, hands pawing at his face. Eren rubbed his throat on the Omega everywhere he could reach, over Levi's face, his hair. The Alpha grabbed his Omega's wrists and shoved them into his glands, pulling the sheet tighter around Levi, teeth bared at the pair sitting in the dirt. Levi made a sound, his Omega's cry, and Eren found himself calming as it washed over him, his growl transforming. No longer vicious and aggressive, now it was directed at the Omega, soothing, comforting. Not _the_ Omega. _His Omega._ Those small hands were threading through his hair, stroking his cheeks, thumbing over his lips.

"Shhhhhh, Eren, it's okay, it's okay. They're leaving, I'm staying, it's fine." Eren's eyes were closing, breathing still ragged from fighting, muscles tight. They began to relax under the Levi's touch, the tension draining out of him bit by bit. Hange was helping Erwin to his feet, and when the blonde was upright he spat gore from his mouth, clutching at his head with a curse. His voice was rough when he spoke, raw and not his own.

"Levi. Tell me you're here of your own free will. I just need to hear it, from you, in person. Then I'll leave." _You'll leave either way._ The smaller Alpha didn't say it, didn't have to. Eren had finally fallen silent, and it took every ounce of his self control to remain that way. Watching the blonde sway with blood dripping from his nose did not hurt matters. Those fumbling steps, face swelling before their eyes, hand clutching at his wounded temple... It sang out Eren's victory in a way that words could not, and some savage part of him was howling at the rightness of it. His enemy, his rival, a threat to his Omega. Bleeding, and bruised, and broken. Defeated underneath him, helpless and beaten. Levi made an irritated sound, glaring at the blonde with eyes made of steel.

"Damn it, Erwin, will you please just go? I know you're worried, but now isn't the time for this bullshit. I will call you, when I go home."

"I'll come see you, when your heat is over. I need to talk to you. There are some things I've been meaning to tell you." That was the exact wrong thing to say, and Eren was growling again, vicious and hostile. Only Levi's fingers reaching up to run over the glands on his throat kept Eren from putting the Omega down and attacking the blonde again.

"I said I'll _call you,_ Erwin. Get him out of here, Hange." She was wordless for once as she drug the sluggish Alpha to the car, shoving him into the passenger side before climbing behind the wheel. The car disappeared into the distance, and Eren finally pulled him eyes away to take his Omega back inside, locking the door behind them and carrying Levi to bed. He unwrapped the sheet that was coiled around him, discarding it on the floor along with his boxers, leaving them both naked again. After the Omega was settled in the center of the mattress Eren moved over him, pressing their foreheads together with a sigh, eyes closed tight.

"I'm sorry. I lost it." He could feel Levi's head shaking, those perfect fucking hands in his hair again, threading through it, stroking, calming. Eren felt his rut rising up, ready to stake his claim on Levi again. Ready to mark and take and own. Ready to dominate and control. He fought down his instincts, not wanting what was blossoming between them to be brought on by rage and jealousy. It was something precious, something sacred. Eren would not have it tainted by this dark emotion. He needed a few moments to relax, to breathe in Levi's scent, to feel that skin on his. He reveled in that warmth, that touch, those soft breaths.

"Hange said it was Erwin's fault, I know how he can be sometimes. He thinks he knows what's best for everyone, but he means well. I should've just called him back, maybe he wouldn't've come here." The Omega put his arms around Eren, tugging him down to the bed, laying his head on the Alpha's chest.

"It's not your fault." Levi was shifting next to him, heat coming back to the fore now that the adrenaline had faded. The Omega was aching, needy, arousal shooting hard, scent filling the air around him. He rutted up against Eren, a whine coming out of his throat as waves of lust assailed him. The heat seemed even stronger now that he had mated once, his body seeking to claim what it wanted by any means necessary.

"Eren, I... I _need_ you." The Alpha was smiling then, and he coiled his arms around Levi and pulled the Omega on top of him. Eren gripped his hips, grinding his cock up against Levi ass, pulling a wanton sound from him. He looked up into that gray stare with eyes that were on fire.

"I'm yours, little Omega. Take what you need."


	8. Rehash

**Chapter Text**

 **Erwin, Then**

Erwin was standing just outside the the entrance to the fighting pit, gun held in a two handed grip, pointed at the ground. There were voices coming through his earpiece, the strike teams outside getting into position at the exits. The Omega Survey Corps had already secured the adjoining building where the Alpha who controlled the illegal fighting ring kept his harem. If they had not been ready to rip this bastard to pieces before, they certainly were after seeing all his Omegas bruised and bloody, flinching and cowering at the mere sight of the Alphas on Erwin's team. He'd never seen a harem in such a state before, had not believed it was possible for an Alpha to brutalize so many Omegas so thoroughly. Now he was waiting for everyone to give him their signal, letting Erwin know when they were ready so they could kick in the doors on a fight in progress. It was the only way to ensure that the Alpha responsible went down for good and did not manage to get off on some technicality. Some of these men who were being fought did so willingly, but many did not. His people had already cleared the guards from the holding cells, dozens of Alphas being kept against their will in squalid conditions, the stench of filth and blood in the air. They were still in those cells for the moment, as evacuating so many Alphas who had been starved, beaten, tortured, forced to fight each other, sometimes even kill each other... It would take time, and finesse, as well as more manpower and probably some tranquilizers. When everything was settled they would be processed and taken to a medical facility for treatment and evaluation. Right now, they would have to wait.

There was a squawk in Erwin's ear as the teams began to signal their readiness. He reached up to turn his mouthpiece on.

"Monarch?"

"Monarch's a go."

"Timber?"

"We're a go, sir."

"Nightshade?"

"Nightshade's green, commander."

One by one, his people responded, letting him know they were all in place.

"On my mark. Three, two, one-"

Everything erupted into shouting and chaos as the OSC kicked in the doors, guns in the air and voices loud, ordering everyone to the ground. There were dozens of spectators, a mixture of Alphas and Betas, most of which surrendered without incident. Watching illegal fights was a crime, and they would be arrested, but it was not something serious enough to risk their lives for. The guards there were a different matter, several of which were drawing on Erwin's men. Gunshots rang out through the air, but it was only a few moments before they fell silent, teams dressed in body armor subduing them quickly with tazers and rubber bullets. Erwin had been in position outside of the ring itself, a circular dirt pit in the center of the room with only one door leading in and out. When he ran in with his gun in the air, shouting for the Alphas fighting to stop and get on the ground, his eyes went wide at the sight.

There was an Alpha in the dirt, and it was immediately clear to Erwin that he was dead, neck twisted at an unnatural angle and dark fluid leaking from his throat. The man standing over the corpse was the smallest Alpha Erwin had ever seen, shirtless and barefoot, fists dangling loose at his sides with knuckles painted red. He was covered in blood and gore, on his arms and his chest, splattering his face, oozing from his mouth, matting in his raven hair. Those eyes were gray, on fire with barely leashed aggression as he turned his stare onto Erwin, brows furrowing.

"On the ground, Alpha! Fight's over! Hands on your head!" The little Alpha smiled, teeth crimson and feral, and he started to laugh. Maniacal laughter. The kind you heard from the shadowed corners of an asylum, dark and illicit. "I said get on the ground, Alpha!" He laughed even harder, dropping to his knees and threading his hands together behind his head.

"You're about five minutes too late." Erwin was confused for a moment as he approached before the blonde realized the little Alpha was referring to the dead man in front of him.

"Better late than never. I'm cuffing you for now, all right?" Erwin wasn't asking permission, but trying to decide if he was going to have to use force to get the Alpha restrained. "We'll get you with the other Alphas and figure out what we're going to do with you guys." The man was laughing again, and only when Erwin reached out and grabbed his arm to cuff it did he realize why, freezing in place. _Omega._ The faintest trace of scent came from the gland on his wrist when Erwin touched it. "You're a fucking Omega." The Omega looked up at Erwin with that bloody grin, lunatic and crazed, and a chill ran up the blonde's spine at the sight. _Monster._ The word ran through his head like a prayer. Erwin didn't want to cuff this Omega, didn't know if he could. It ran against his instincts, something he wasn't used to fighting in his line of work. They usually steered him well, and restraining an Omega was not something they wanted to allow him to do. Then the Omega's face transformed, that psychotic expression twisting into stark terror.

"The harem! Your people, they freed the harem first. Tell me they fucking did!" Erwin looked at the Omega strangely.

"The harem is fine, the guards have all been secured and the Omegas are safe. We're waiting for an outside team to come in and-"

"Take me back! Take me back there now!" The blonde shook his head.

"Listen, I need to-" The Omega was on his feet, flying towards the door faster than Erwin could blink. "Stop! Right now!" Erwin was after him, drawing his gun, yet unable to fire. They were nonlethal rounds, his finger on the trigger, yet he could not pull it. The dark haired Omega was out the exit, Erwin running for him with everything he had, still far too slow to stop him. As he emerged into the tunnel he heard his men shouting, drawing on the Omega, ordering him to stop. "Don't shoot! He's an Omega!" It was absurd, it didn't matter that he was an Omega, he was still one of the pit fighters and needed to be contained, and all they had in their primary weapons were rubber bullets and electric rounds. Yet every member of Erwin's team was an Alpha and at those words from their commander they were pointing their weapons at the ground, instincts telling them to protect. The Omega was at the end of the tunnel in an instant, flinging the door open and moving into the house as though he'd been there a thousand times, feet unerring. The commander was yelling at his people as he followed, telling them not to fire, to let him pass, even though he did not know why.

When the dark haired Omega burst through doors of the room where all the members of the harem were being kept Erwin had almost caught up to him. The Omegas were cowering in a corner, a mixture of about a dozen men and women, eying the OSC team on the other side of the room with blatant fear painting their features. The Alphas had their weapons put away and were sitting on the floor, not making eye contact, trying not to appear like a threat. Yet the Omegas were shivering, the stench of fright thick in the air. Then the little Omega ran in and they caught sight of him. He was covered in gore, eyes flashing with aggression, a growl coming out of his throat. The Omega looked more terrifying than any of the Alphas on Erwin's team.

"LEVI!"

They surged towards him as one, throwing their arms around him, clinging to him like a lifeline. He positioned himself between them and the Alphas, and then he was reaching out and touching their hair, clasping their hands, shushing them with a soft voice. Erwin watched with wide eyes as they sought refuge behind this monster of a man. Dripping with the blood of a dead Alpha, looking at Erwin's men with eyes full of violence.

"Everything's okay, I'm right here." Levi cut his eyes at Erwin, holding the blonde's gaze with a challenge in his own as he spoke to the Omegas. "No one's gonna hurt you now."

...

 **Erwin/Hange**

Hange was hissing her words at Erwin, tugging on his arm as he pounded on Eren's door. The blonde had come straight to Hange's house once he'd arrived in town and railed at her, screaming and shouting at the Beta until his throat was raw from it. She had lied to him, manipulated their employer into sending him out on a mission to keep him from finding out that Levi was going into his final heat. So that their friend could _die._ Erwin knew why she had lied, and not a day went by that the Alpha did not regret what he had said to his friend, but no matter what he did there was still distance between them. Levi was like a brother to him, more than anyone who had his blood would ever be, but he could not imagine letting the Omega die. When Hange had called him with tears in her voice telling him Levi was dead, next to the ache of loss a terrifying rage lit his veins. She had contacted him seeking comfort, torn apart over what she had done, but Erwin had not been coming to their place to ease her suffering. He realized now that he probably would have killed her in his fury, unable to control his anger, and hated himself for the rest of his life. If he could even manage to allow himself to live afterwards and not put a bullet in his own head. Still, his fists ached to strike out at her, aggression seeking to find an outlet.

Now she watched as he banged on another Alpha's door as though he was trying to break through it.

"Erwin, he's not answering, come on! Levi's okay, I swear!"

"Shut up, Hange. I told you not to come."

"I told you not to come! He's _fine,_ Erwin. If you fuck this up too much he could really die!" She pulled harder on his arm, fingers digging into the flesh there. His eyes flashed white as he glared at her, teeth bared in a hiss.

"What do you care if he dies? Don't fucking touch me." Now Hange felt anger roll through her, and she leapt onto Erwin's back and threw her weight towards the yard, forcing him to stumble down the porch steps and into the grass.

"I care more than you right now! I promise you that if we just go home, Levi will mate that Alpha in there and everything will be fine! He's not being forced into anything, stupid!" She was slapping at Erwin, feet clasped together over his stomach to hold her steady. Hange had never been shy when it came to Erwin and Levi, or anyone else for that matter. She was not afraid of this dumb ass Alpha, even if she should be. Hange did not process fear like normal people did. It was an afterthought, something that occurred to her long after the situation was over. _Oh, that should have been scary, I guess._ Now she was pulling the blonde's hair, shouting in his ear, screeching at him.

"Get back in the fucking car, Erwin!"

"Get off me, you crazy bitch!" He was clawing at her, trying to dislodge her without really hurting the Beta. Erwin had done enough to hurt his friends for a thousand lifetimes.

"God damn it, Erwin, you are literally being a murderous cockblock right now! Do you want Levi dead? Just go the fuck home! He'll call you when he's ready you nosy shit! Who the fuck activates GPS on someone else's phone, anyway? You're a fucking stalker, is what you are!" Hange delivered another vicious smack, this one aimed at his face. It was like a child was trying to hit him, more annoying that injurious.

"Christ, Hange, get off! I have it in your phone too, you know! Everyone who works with us has it! It's a safety precaution!" _A safety precaution. God, I want to choke him._ She reached under his throat, absently trying to do just that.

"It's not for creeping on your friends because you want to follow them around! Stupid fucking eyebrows! Get back in the car you blonde bastard!" Erwin bit her arm and her eyes went wide in shock as she threw kicks into his gut. _Stupid blonde Alpha bastard..._

"I don't want to hurt you, you crazy Beta fuck, but I will roll around in the fucking dirt until you let go, and then I swear I will bash those damn glasses in, if you do not GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME RIGHT NOW HANGE!"

Suddenly a growl cut through the air, and Hange looked over to see Eren on his porch, terrifying and furious, streaks of blood on his face and neck. That fear that Hange never felt filled her now as she climbed down from Erwin's back and tried to drag him away. The blonde was staring at the Alpha, and when he caught his scent he felt his instincts surge up. _Monster._ The word flitted through his head in a way that had only happened once before, when he'd first laid eyes on Levi. Now he was staring at this half naked Alpha, covered in a half dozen different scents, every one of them screaming at Erwin. _Get away. Run._ Run? Erwin felt himself rankling at his own instincts. He did not fucking _run,_ not from anyone, not from anything. Certainly not when he needed to get to Levi, make sure he wanted to be here. The Omega had suffered enough under the viciousness of Alphas, and Erwin would be dead and in the ground before he allowed it to happen again. He also needed to see with his own eyes that the Omega was warm, alive, breathing. Not in a morgue drawer somewhere waiting to be buried.

Erwin kept his feet on the ground through sheer force of will when everything inside him wanted to flee. He'd never felt this dread before, yet he forced his gaze up to meet this Alpha's, forced his instincts down inside. It was fight or flight, and Erwin never chose anything but the former.

"Eren! So good to see you again, my friend! It seems you and Levi have been busy, I'm glad! Now, me and Erwin over here were just leaving, so-" Erwin was having none of it, shaking her off dismissively. The Alpha in him was rising up to the challenge now, hands curling into fists, back straightening, body shooting full of adrenaline.

"No, we weren't. I'm not here to fuck with you, Alpha. My friend is in there. Once I make sure all this is okay with him, I will leave. But not until then."

"Erwin I fucking told you already-"

"I need to hear it myself! You lied to me, Hange, put Levi's life in danger. Your words are worth absolutely nothing." Hange wanted to smack him again, but she knew he was right. She had deceived him, blatantly, and it would be a long time before he listened to anything she said.

The two Alphas were talking then, but Hange was not really paying attention to them. It was already too late for words. They were going to fight, she could tell from their body language, and nothing would stop them until one of these Alphas was bleeding in the dirt. When they jumped at each other she was not surprised, but still tried to yell at them, get them to stop. She had been worried for Levi's Alpha but as she watched Eren rain down blows on her friend she realized her worry was misplaced. Now fear for her own friend shot through her as she watched the brunette split Erwin's lips, blood spraying out under his fists. She'd never seen anyone get the better of Erwin in a fight before, even when he was against two or three different opponents. Fuck, he was going to kill him at this rate.

Levi. Hange had to get to Levi.

She ran into Eren's house even as the scents in the air had terror climbing up her spine, only to find Levi crawling towards the door on his hands and knees with a sheet wrapped around him. The Omega looked up at her and relief swam through his eyes.

"What the fuck are you looking at, shitty glasses, get me out there before they kill each other."

Hange dragged the Omega outside and at the sound of his voice Eren came running, leaving Erwin in the dirt without a second thought. The Beta shoved her friend into the car, sighing as she drove away. When she looked at the blonde next to her, bleeding and bruised, she felt a familiar sentiment spilling through her.

"God, I fucking hate Alphas."

...

 **Levi, Now**

 _"I'm yours, little Omega. Take what you need."_

Levi stilled atop Eren, everything in him freezing at the Alpha's voice. _Take what you need?_ Levi could not even find the words to protest Eren calling him 'little'. Omegas did not take, especially when mating. Alphas did not give over control to their Omegas that way, were aggressive and dominant. Now Eren was looking up at him, eyes golden and shining as he rocked into Levi, length hard and sliding against the Omegas smooth skin. When Levi did not move, just sat there staring at Eren with wide eyes, the Alpha's smile shot bigger.

"No?" Eren reached down between them to grasp himself, lifting the Omega up and easing into Levi with a soft growl. He was still slicking, everything in him aching to be mated, and Eren sank between his thighs until he was buried inside Levi to the hilt. The Omega whimpered, leaning on Eren's chest as the Alpha's hands tightened on his hips. But the Alpha did not thrust, did not move, did not do anything. Just bit his lip, a mischievous look on his face. "Ride me, Levi. Take what you need from me."

Levi closed his eyes, felt his breaths come faster as the Alpha filled him up, all the pain of the heat vanishing, replaced with an ache of a different kind. God, Levi did need it, needed to feel that length moving. Needed to be split wide. Eren's hands were on his skin then, drifting up and down Levi's chest, thumbing over his nipples. The Omega moaned at the touch, raising himself up a few inches before sinking back down. _Ecstasy._

"Nnnn..." Sensation ran through Levi in a rush, not only between his legs but up his spine, in his gut, across his skin. Something about towering over this Alpha with lust written over his features made Levi feel powerful in a way he'd never expected. For an Omega, mating was about giving up power, about surrender.

Or so Levi had thought.

Now he was moving, slowly, lifting off of Eren's arousal before easing down to fill himself again. _Fuck._ The movements were awkward at first, muscles protesting, but when he heard Eren let out a groan they came easier, faster. Soon he was bouncing on the Alpha, supporting himself with his hands on Eren's chest, and when he got the courage to meet that stare again it was eating him alive. Eren choked words out, jaw clenched, one hand clutching the Omega's hipbone viciously as the other reached up to close around Levi's length.

"I.. nnn... thought you couldn't... haaah, look any better than you did underneath me. Ffffffuck... I was wrong. This might... hnnng.. might be better..."

The Omega moaned loudly, increasing his speed, slamming himself down on Eren as vicious sounds began to pour from the Alpha's throat. Eren was fighting his instincts, pushing back against the urge he had to thrust up into the Omega. He wanted Levi to be in control, needed him to. It felt important for some reason he could not quite decipher. Eren stroked his hand up and down the Omega's shaft, thumb circling over the crown as he squeezed and jerked. The whole world spun, nothing but _Levi, Levi, Levi._ Levi in his nose, before his eyes, under his hands. The little sounds he made singing in Eren's ears. Those sounds would haunt his dreams.

"Fuck, nnnggh... Eren..."

"L-Levi... So fucking good..."

Levi was snapping his hips back a forth, faster than he thought possible considering how wrecked his body had been from the heat. All that soreness was nothing but a memory as he impaled himself brutally on Eren's cock. _Taking,_ instead of being taken, and all that was Omega in Levi swelled with newfound strength. The very foundations of his beliefs were shuddering, shifting in the face of this Alpha underneath him, this Alpha who said, _'Take from me.'_ Who watched Levi with lust in his gaze and smiled, too many teeth, all of them sharp. Eren released Levi's hip, snatching his wrist and pulling it to his mouth to lick at the scent gland there as the Omega worked himself around Eren's arousal. He scraped his teeth over the skin, looking at Levi with a question in his eyes. _Can I?_ The Omega couldn't believe he was asking, but he found himself nodding fiercely, yearning for those teeth in his skin again. Eren sucked the flesh in his mouth, tongue swirling around it as he pulled up a bruise before biting down hard.

"Mmmmpff..."

When the Alpha broke skin and began licking up the Omega's blood, Levi felt his eyes roll back into his head. Heat. Everywhere heat and need, filling Levi up, spilling out of his lips in a moan. His pace became frantic, muscles going tight as his climax loomed. It pooled in his stomach, climbed up his shaft, lingered inside, growing. Levi began to feel desperate, keening as he tried to move faster, drive Eren deeper. The Alpha released his wrist, pulling Levi into his chest as he finally began to move, meeting Levi thrust for thrust to pull him to the edge. The Omega opened his eyes, not sure when he had closed them, to see the smooth skin of Eren's throat in front of him. He didn't think, acting on instinct as he sank his teeth into the Alpha's neck with a growl.

"Levi!"

The Omega moaned into his flesh while they both came, jaw going vicious on Eren's skin, the coppery tinge of blood in his mouth as the Alpha filled him with seed. Levi's own was slick between them as he writhed, riding out his orgasm, little whining sounds pouring from his throat. When they both stilled Levi released his bite, and as he felt that swelling inside him he did not have to wonder what it was this time, nor was he surprised. Eren rolled them onto their sides, tucking his hips in close to the Omega's and pulling a blanket up around them. The Alpha's arms clung tight to Levi, who curled his own into his chest, head tucked underneath Eren's chin. Then the Alpha was kissing his hair, over and over, rubbing his face against it while he whispered to Levi, voice soft and low, as though if he spoke too loud the Omega would vanish.

"You're so perfect, Levi. You taste so sweet, and you smell so good, and you're strong and fierce and... _volatile._ Let me keep you. Please."

Levi didn't answer, and Eren was not concerned, was prepared for the silence. Sleep crept up on the pair, and they did not fight it as it washed over them. They would sleep until the knot released, and then Eren would take him again and again, over and over until his heat passed like a storm. The Alpha held Levi tight as they drifted off, feeling those hot breaths on his chest, relishing that feeling of being tied to this Omega, knotted inside. He wanted to be tied to Levi in any way he could. When everything was over and done with, this Omega was going to run from him.

That was okay.

Eren would chase him.


	9. Regress

**Chapter Text**

Levi had been destroyed many times before, bruised and broken under the fists of countless Alphas. He'd felt the snap of his bones inside his flesh, blood in his mouth as his organs ruptured. More than once he'd lain in the dirt of the pit as they announced his opponent's defeat, looking at the ceiling with eyes that wouldn't focus, wondering if he was going to die. The Omega remembered thinking, _'Is this really victory? Does it taste like pain?'_ Levi knew more than anyone what it was like to have muscles that screamed in agony, joints that protested the slightest movement, skin torn and ragged.

Never had the Omega's body been as beautifully wrecked as it was right now. Eren had tried to stop himself from biting Levi each time they came together, but when he felt the sting of the Omega's teeth in his own flesh he realized there was no way he could fight something that felt _so good,_ even if they would feel the pain later on. Now they were both littered in bite marks and bruises, painting the skin of their throats in shades of purple and blue. Levi had a handful scattered across his wrists and the insides of his thighs as well, and when he moved he felt each and every one. Their skin was tinged pink, the blood that oozed from those bites spreading across it, mixed with scent and sweat and Levi's seed. They were filthy and wretched, Eren panting, shaking from exertion as he collapsed next to the Omega with a groan. He was still buried inside Levi, knotted together, but they'd both felt the heat pass, clearing from the air like smoke. Eren and Levi had mated over and over, knotting together again and again, and each time the Alpha was tied up inside him something dark swam through the Omega's chest. Something that craved the closeness, wanted it savagely, and that desperate need made Levi afraid.

Being afraid just made the Omega angry, fury at himself swirling inside. A heat was supposed to last around twelve hours, a few more if the Omega had suppressed or gone unmated for a long time.

It had been over twenty four by the time Levi's had abated. They mated, and when Eren swelled inside of him, locking them to each other, they slept, only to be woken by the surge of pheromones again when they separated. The Omega's entire being hurt in the best way, down to his very bones, sore and shivering where it had endured this relentless Alpha's attentions.

Everywhere but his mouth, an oasis of smooth, untouched skin the desert of savaged flesh that was Levi's body. His lips were not red, not swollen, not throbbing from unending kisses, not dry and cracked after merciless affection. Levi mourned the loss of these things in a way he had not known was possible. The Omega did not know you could miss an ache you had not felt before.

Eren's rut had passed too, the scent of Alpha and Omega still present as they always were, but muted now that the hormones were not raging inside them. The Alphas hands were tracing wearily across Levi's skin, seeking out the Omega even as he fought to stay awake, fingers clinging and grasping. Levi heard him mumbling incoherently as he had been doing periodically while their mating wore on. He wasn't even sure the Alpha realized he was talking. At first the Omega had struggled to listen, understand what Eren was saying, but then he realized there was no point. Each time he focused on the words they were things Levi didn't want to hear. _'So fucking pretty, so perfect, taste so good. So sweet, so tight, so strong. Please, fuck, yes, more. Need you, want you, make you mine. Levi, Levi, Levi...'_ Then the Omega realized that wasn't quite right. They were not things Levi didn't want to hear.

They were things he wanted to hear so badly it terrified him, fear again, when he had not felt it in ages. Not even when he had planned to die. Weak.

This Alpha made him weak.

When Levi felt that now familiar shuddering feeling, Eren's knot releasing from inside, there was no rush of lust that crept up in its wake. Still the Alpha was rutting up against him, not trying to mate but seeking closeness, rubbing his face against Levi's skin as he growled softly at the Omega. Levi turned away from Eren, pawing blindly at the table beside the bed for his phone while the Alpha clutched at his back, nuzzling into the Omega's spine. Away. He had to get away from this Alpha, away from his skin and his teeth and his touch.

Had to get away before he was swallowed whole, nothing left of him but Eren.

When he knocked the phone to the floor in his struggles the Alpha lifted his head in a daze.

"You want water? Here, hold on." It was a couple of moments before an open bottle was thrust in front of Levi, but the Omega didn't take it, just stared at the water in a stupor. Then he leaned over and snatched his phone from the floor, trying to tap the screen on and find Hange's number through blurred vision. Why was his vision blurry? "Levi? What are you doing?" His voice was shredded when he spoke, full of gravel and sand.

"Heat's over. Gonna call Hange. Let her come get me." It was only as he felt something on his face and wiped at it that he realized he was crying. Eren must have heard it in his words because he was sitting up, putting the water down and trying to pull the Omega into his lap.

"Levi, come here." Levi had known this was coming, though he thought he'd have a little more time to get out of Eren's house before it started. When an Omega mated for the first time, their body was not used to the surging of endorphins. Serotonin and dopamine flooding their systems, hormones that had never been produced before rising and falling in the blood. After it was over everything drained out of the Omega at once, leaving the brain reeling at the lack of chemicals and stimulants. The first thing that happened was the soreness catching up to them, all the strain on their body hitting them at once. Then the tears came. It was strictly hormonal. Biological. Unavoidable.

That knowledge didn't make it feel any less shitty to weep like a child in front of this beast of an Alpha.

Levi dropped the phone on the bed to cover his face with his hands as he began sobbing in earnest. _For no goddamned reason._ The Omega had never hated himself more than he did in that moment. Not even as he stood over the corpses of Alphas, many of them prisoners just like him.

"It's just hormones. The heat, it-" Eren cut him off, and Levi stopped fighting as the Alpha eased his arms around him and lay them down together.

"Shhhh. I don't need a biology lesson. I know all about it, okay? You can't help it." Levi curled up into a ball, trying to keep himself quiet, failing. Kept his face hidden behind his palms. Wished he could disappear.

"Fucking stupid Omega bullshit. God, I hate it." Eren turned him over, tucking Levi's face into his chest and wrapping him up tight, pulling a blanket off the floor and spreading it over them.

If Levi could move, he would have been running. Fast, and far, until his legs gave out beneath him.

"I know. I'm sorry. But don't leave yet. I know you have to go eventually, get back to your life, but let me clean you. Feed you. It's past seven at night. Sleep with me until morning, then let me take you home. Don't just... don't just leave filthy and hungry and hurting and exhausted. Please, Levi. For me, if not for you." The Omega sniffed, willing himself to vanish into nothingness. When he did not, he forced words passed unwilling lips.

"I'm going to be hurting for days. You fucking mauled me." Eren let out a bark of laughter, tracing over the bites on Levi's neck with gentle fingers.

"I know I did. I'm sorry about that. But hey, you mauled me a little yourself. Didn't think Omegas did that." Levi felt irritation rise in him, sharp and vicious, and he welcomed the emotion. It was familiar, and he clung to it with all that he was.

"Forgive me, oh great Alpha, for not fitting into your fucking Omegan ideals." The Alpha kissed his dark locks, breathing in his scent. Levi fought down a shudder.

"I liked it. I liked it a lot. Never think that something is wrong with you because you aren't like other Omegas. It's better. You're better. You're perfect, Levi." All Levi could see in his mind were dead Alphas under his hands. Bleeding to death where'd he'd torn out their throats with his teeth. Choking on crimson spray, going limp as Levi gouged out their eyes.

"I'm not perfect." The Alpha behind him was playing with his hair, rubbing his hands over Levi's back, throwing his leg over the Omega to tug him in closer. His crying had eased back, tears now coursing silently down his cheeks.

"Me either, so close enough. Stay with me until morning." _Then you can run away._ Eren didn't say it, didn't have to. It filled the space between them like a fog, and Levi had a hard time breathing through it.

"I need a fucking shower if I'm staying here." Eren leaned down to kiss Levi's cheek, and the Omega flinched, remaining silent even as he screamed inside.

"Thank you. Gimmie a sec."

The Alpha rushed into the bathroom, and Levi heard him turning on the shower and adjusting the spray. His heat had ended, but there was no way he could walk yet, not after what Eren just put him through over the course of the last day. So Levi waited for the Alpha to return, cursing himself as he sat up and retrieved his phone to text Hange.

 **Levi: Heat's over. Home tomorrow. How's Erwin?**

She didn't respond right away, so he sent a message to Marco, telling the Beta he was alive and well. Then he pulled up his contacts and texted the three Omegas he normally met with on Thursdays, Petra among them. It was Wednesday, and Levi probably wouldn't feel up to going out to meet them at the office tomorrow or any of the places they sometimes went, but they'd been to his house before. He gritted his teeth as he sent them a message inviting the group to his place the following night. Levi wanted to hide, wanted to stay in his home alone until these bites on his skin faded, until the scent of this Alpha was nothing but a memory.

But it was something the Omegas needed to witness. They were all so terrified of mating, like Levi had been, though for different reasons. His Omegas were scared of injury, of abuse. Levi was not afraid of pain. He knew it too well, all its nuances and forms, all the ways it could break someone. He just did not want to give up control, to submit to an Alpha. Now that he had gone through a mated heat, Petra and his other Omegas deserved a chance to look, to listen, to ask questions. To see Levi, covered in bites and bruises and the scent of an Alpha, and know that he was just fine. That he had wanted it. Was still well, and whole, and himself.

To help them understand that being with an Alpha could be something good. An ache that you welcomed. Something you chose instead of something you endured.

Levi needed to teach them something that he still had not truly learned, and he wondered if they would see right through him.

The Omega was grateful for the interruption of his thoughts when Eren came back into the room, brows furrowed as he looked at Levi's worried expression. He sat his phone back on the table and moved towards the side of the bed that the Alpha stood on, suddenly very aware of his nudity. It was ridiculous, Eren had just had sex with him over and over, had buried himself between Levi's thighs, tasted his skin, sank his teeth into the Omega's flesh. Now he wanted to cover himself, and he fought pink from his cheeks with all that he had. Tears still wet on a face that wanted to blush, and Levi wanted to yell out in frustration. Scream until his throat was raw. Eren did not seem phased by it, just picked Levi up in his arms and carried him into the bathroom, steam rising in the air from the hot water. Instead of trying to put the Omega on his feet, he disconnected the shower head from its cradle and let it dangle while he sat down in the tub, pulling Levi into his lap. Levi felt awkward, body going tense as Eren took the shower attachment in his hand and ran the spray over the Omega's skin, rinsing away blood and scent and everything else with gentle fingers. Then the Alpha tilted Levi's head back, putting a hand over his forehead to keep the water out of his eyes as he soaked those dark locks, scrubbing at them lightly.

"I can wash myself, you know. I'm not a fucking invalid." Eren ignored him, working shampoo into Levi's strands before rinsing it away.

"I don't think 'invalid' is a term people use anymore, Levi." _This fucking smartass._ The Alpha moved on, conditioning Levi's hair with more care than was necessary. The Omega was cringing under his touch. Not because he did not like it, but because he wanted to arch into it, relax into Eren's warm embrace. Rub his face against his neck. He wasn't in a heat anymore, he shouldn't want to writhe against this Alpha, shouldn't be craving those hands on his skin.

"Shitty Alpha brat."

"I know you can do it yourself, but I want to do it for you. I... fuck, I'm so sorry Levi." Eren's fingers traced over the bites on Levi's neck again, managing to make even a touch seem apologetic. "I was really rough on you, it looks like you were attacked by a fucking animal. I should have been able to control myself better than that, rut or no rut. Please, just let me take care of you. I need to."

Levi was silent, not sure what to say in the face of this Alpha's words. The Omega had bitten into Eren's skin too, over and over, couldn't have stopped himself if he'd tried. The Alpha would be wearing those marks around for a week, at least. Yet here he was saying he was sorry to Levi, full of concern, hands ghosting over the Omega's flesh like he would break. There were so many different things spinning through Levi's head that he could not pick out a single one, like colors all swirling together until there was nothing but black.

Once Eren had washed his own hair and rinsed both of their stands clean, he poured body wash over a bath sponge and began to rub it over Levi, his chest, his stomach. Used his hand to soap Levi's face with care. He lifted the Omega's arms and ran it over the undersides, slid it across Levi's throat, leaned forward to lather his legs. Passed the sponge gently between Levi's thighs, careful of his bite marks but scrubbing away what was left of his seed. Eren cleaned himself with much less hesitance, scouring roughly at his skin, quick and uncaring. After he was done he washed the suds away from them both, turning off the water and standing up. Then he tugged Levi to his feet and sat him down on the closed lid of the toilet. The Alpha handed him a towel, and Levi was grateful he didn't try to dry him. If Eren made him feel any more helpless than he already did, Levi might punch him in the fucking nose. Eren was dried off much faster than the Omega, Levi's muscles protesting every move he made as he ran the towel over his skin. The Alpha was back moments later with Levi's bag, which he deposited at the Omega's feet before pulling on boxers and pajama pants of his own.

"You need help dressing?" Levi scowled, shaking his head.

"No, mother, I think I have it covered." Eren laughed, running his hand through the Omega's hair absently before heading towards the door.

"I'll give you a minute."

When the Alpha shut the door behind him, Levi felt relief surge through his body. He leaned forward so far that he almost fell to the floor, head between his knees as he fisted his hands in his hair.

"Fuck."

Levi didn't bother getting dressed yet, just maneuvered himself as best he could to empty his bladder. He'd allow it to burst in his stomach before he let Eren hold him up while he pissed. When he was finished closed the lid again and sat back down, sifting through his clothes until he found some boxers and pajama pants. Hange could've packed any number of fucked up things, and he half-expected to find a woman's nightgown instead of his own sleepwear. He would have to thank her later for repressing her inner urges. Unlike Eren, he pulled on a shirt, eager to cover up every inch of skin that he could. Levi had just finished pulling it down when the door opened again, and he knew the Alpha would be carrying him back to bed. Fuck, Levi was so tired of being in bed, useless, unable to do anything for himself. He would be so fucking happy when his body started going back to normal.

When Eren picked him up and took him to the living room instead, unreasonable joy shot through him. He deposited him on the couch, and Levi found himself looking around suspiciously. It was insanely clean in here compared to when he'd been on this couch the day before. Everything was shining, free of dust, no dishes or laundry anywhere. He could smell the fading scent of disinfectant underneath the overwhelming smells of heat and rut and mating. Eren had cleaned in here while Levi slept, and something twisted inside the Omega at the thought.

"I'm guessing your tired of being stuck in a bed all day. Let me go get us some food, and we can eat in here instead. What do you want?" Levi wanted to say not to worry about it, that he wasn't hungry, but his stomach was now audibly protesting the thought. Other than the meal Eren had given him yesterday, Levi had not eaten anything substantial in over a week, and he was _starving._

"Anything. Everything. The food you brought yesterday was fine."

Eren disappeared into the kitchen, clanking sounds filtering into the living room as he heated up their food. He brought back a ridiculous amount of pasta and rice, piled so high on their plates that Levi thought it would topple off into the floor. They began to inhale their food, and when both of the dishes were completely empty, not a speck of anything left of them, he conceded that perhaps he'd been even hungrier than he'd thought. Eren took the empty plates back into the kitchen, and Levi listened to the water run as he washed them. When the Alpha returned he was looking at Levi with an expression so fond, the Omega wanted to strike out at him, wipe it from his face. Replace it with with pain instead. Something familiar instead of something strange.

"You want to sleep now, or stay up for awhile?" Eren looked just as exhausted as Levi felt, and as much as the Omega was tired of being cooped up in a bed, he would be asleep where he sat in a few moments.

"No, I'm fucking done. I need to rest."

The Alpha just nodded, but instead of carrying Levi he put an arm under his shoulders and helped the Omega stagger to the bedroom. His feet were a little steadier than he'd expected, and Levi thought he might be able to walk on his own when he woke up. When he collapsed into the bedding, he realized that Eren had changed the sheets, saw the dirty ones balled up on the floor nearby. Laying down on blankets that were clean, and dry, no oppressing heat running through him, no lust swimming in his veins... Levi was more grateful than he'd thought possible. Couldn't stop the words from his mouth, even if they tasted bitter.

"Thank you, Eren." The Alpha was turning the light off and climbing next to him, and when he eased his arms around the Omega from behind, Levi wanted to push him away. Didn't. Fought the urge to push himself back into the embrace instead.

"I should be thanking you. I know you didn't ask for any of this, didn't want it, so it's probably wrong for me to be so grateful, but I am. I'm glad you were in that shelter. It feels like you were waiting for me. Like I was waiting for you. Telling you this is probably the last thing I should do, but not saying it seems deceitful. I feel like my whole life has changed, Levi. Because of you." Eren was right. It was the wrong thing to say, and Levi wanted to be miles away under the weight of those words.

"You don't even know me, Alpha." Levi felt Eren's arms tighten around him, fingers clutching at his skin.

"I want to know you. Give me a chance to. Please."

Levi did not say anything, and the silence felt like defeat to the Omega. One of Eren's hands moved up to Levi's hair, and they threaded through those dark locks slowly. He resisted it as hard as he could, but Levi was so exhausted, and he was tired of fighting. Those gentle touches eased him into sleep.

...

Sunlight was creeping through the windows when the buzzing of his phone pulled Levi into wakefulness, groggy and aching in a way he'd never felt before. He'd thought his hips had been hurting during the heat, but this was a whole knew kind of pain. Levi felt like he'd just spent hours in the pit fighting instead of in bed mating. The bites he wore announced their presence loudly with each small movement, as if to remind Levi of what he had done. The Alpha behind him had his face thrust into Levi's neck, hot breaths panting across the Omega's skin. One of his hands was still buried in Levi's hair, the other curled around the Omega's chest, a leg thrown over him possessively. Levi reached out and snagged his phone from the table, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he read the display. _5:32 AM._ Hange was just now texting him back, and with the strange hours she kept, Levi was not surprised.

 **Hange: VICTORY! You are officially laid! How was it? Are you alive?**

Levi glared at the phone, Eren shifting behind him but not waking. The thought of facing the Alpha in the light of day made the Omega feel breathless in the worst way. He could not imagine rolling over, looking into those bright green eyes, seeing that fucking smile he knew was coming. Brighter than the goddamned sunrise, and just as inevitable. Levi couldn't take it, he had to get out of there.

 **Levi: I'm fine. Come get me, right now if you could.**

 **Hange: Are you trying to sneak away without Eren noticing? I don't think that's going to go very well for you.**

 **Levi: Just get your ass over here.**

 **Hange: Ok, I'm coming, but I'm going on record to state that this is very shitty, even for you.**

 **Levi: I'm a shitty person. Come on. Hurry.**

 **Hange: Be there in fifteen. You're an asshole, and I'm telling Eren I argued against this course of action when I talk to him next.**

 **Levi: Okay, bitch.**

He set his phone down on the table, extricating himself carefully from Eren's embrace and shoving a pillow in his place. The Alpha clung to it, making a disapproving noise in his sleep, but his eyes remained closed. Levi threw his legs over the side of the bed, wondering if they would hold him up. He stood carefully, tentatively, and though his muscles were not happy about it they did not betray him just yet. Levi took wobbly steps to the bathroom to retrieve his bag, snagging his phone off the nightstand and heading towards the door. He paused in the doorway, eyes pulled back to the bed against his will. Eren was now troublingly restless, breathing going uneven, eyes darting behind his lids. Those chocolate locks were a mess, falling over his face, and Levi's hands itched to brush them back. His lips were parted, brows furrowing, and the Omega had never seen someone manage to look worried like that when they weren't even awake.

He lingered there, watching the Alpha sleep, and it was only when his phone buzzed announcing Hange's arrival that he realized he'd been staring for fifteen minutes.

Levi unlocked the knobs as quietly as possible, shutting the door behind him but unable to lock it again. No one would break into this house anyway, not with the scents that were filtering under the door, heat, rut, the smells of mating. He made the trek down the driveway, which seemed much longer than it actually was as he headed to Hange's car, instincts shouting at him to go back into Eren's house, climb into his bed. Let the Alpha bring him food, and water, fetch and carry for him until the soreness of the mating had passed. He fought them down viciously as he climbed into the passenger seat, Hange looking at him with a disapproving glare.

"You're being a fucking coward, Levi. Running off at the ass crack of dawn when you can barely walk. I know that Alpha in there would give his left nut to take care of you today."

"Fuck off, four eyes. Take me home. I can listen to your bitching there."

Levi looked back towards the doorway as Hange put the car in gear only to see Eren standing there, a hand clutching at his chest. Even from so far away, those eyes ripped Levi open. Then he glanced down to see his own hand right where Eren's was, clawing at his heart, trying to reach the ache inside.

When they drove away, Levi left pieces of himself behind. He did not know what they were, but he knew that it hurt.


	10. Revert

**Chapter Text**

 _Eren was sitting in the middle of a cement floor, a bare bulb flickering above him, bathing the room in weak, sickly light. He'd thrown up blood a few times, none of it his own, and there was more of the crimson liquid spreading out underneath him, painting the concrete black. Corpses littered the ground around him, sprawled in the sort of awkward positions that only dead people can manage, limbs twisted, necks bent. Some of them were missing arms, legs, the flesh of their throats torn out. He hadn't meant to swallow so much blood, but biting out their jugulars had sprayed quite a bit into his mouth. After downing enough of the liquid it had come back up, ejected viciously from his stomach. One of the bodies was still twitching, residual electrical impulses firing through his nerves, and the Alpha in him wanted to stop it, wanted it still and dead and_ ** _defeated_** _. But he couldn't get up now. They were sleeping in his arms, his lap, and if he stirred he would wake them. Voices filtered over to him as though through static, people coming into the room from somewhere behind Eren, but he recognized them. His men. They weren't a threat, so he just ran his gore stained hands through tangled blonde hair, rocking the little forms he held reverently._

"...oh, fuck. God." Someone was retching, and Eren wondered absently if they'd swallowed too much blood, too.

"...eed to put him down...-n't come back from this. He's done f..."

"...ver my fucking dead body, you piece of shit, Eren is o..."

"...those girls away from him, he's dange..."

"...at kind of a fucking monster is he, thi..."

"...go get Captain Zacharius. Tell him we found Jaeger. Bring him he..."

Eren felt a stinging in his neck, reaching up to paw at it and finding a tranquilizer round buried in his throat. He pulled it out, looking at the empty syringe in confusion before turning towards the men behind him.

"I got them all, didn't I? Tell me no one got away. They're all dead right?" His words were slurring, the word spinning under him now, darkness swimming into his eyes.

"Yeah, Jaeger. They're all dead. Jesus fucking Christ..."

Everything went black while Eren fell to the ground, face splashing into a puddle of red as his eyes slammed shut.

Eren sat up panting, clawing at the ghost of a needle in his neck, looking around his room for blood and bodies that were not there. Were far away, years in the past, across oceans, buried underground. Fuck. The Alpha should have known better than to try to go back to sleep after Levi left, sneaking away as soon as the sun rose. Eren expected the Omega to run, but he hadn't thought it would be so soon. He'd awoken in a panic, grasping for Levi but finding his bed empty instead. Eren ran to the door, only to grope at the pain in his chest and watch as Levi was driven away, taking part of Eren with him. He'd never felt so lost in his own home, everything around him familiar yet somehow unwelcoming. The Alpha had eventually wandered back inside and just stared at his room, wondering how it was possible for it to feel so big without his tiny Omega filling it up. Levi. It had been less than two days since he'd met him, and Eren was broken without the Omega here. He'd tried to go back to sleep, clutching the pillow that Levi had slept on tight and breathing in his scent, only to be woken by a nightmare from his past.

Levi hadn't done anything wrong, was free to come and go as he pleased. Just because they had mated did not mean the Omega belonged to Eren, no matter how badly the Alpha wanted that to be true. Even if Levi had allowed Eren to bond with him, the Alpha would not have tried to control where he went, what he did. He just wanted to have his Omega close, protect him, watch over him. Bring him his meals while his muscles were still aching from Eren's abuse, make sure he was fed and warm and cared for until his body healed. He should have known better. Levi was unlike any Omega Eren had ever met, and even though the Alpha loved those volatile parts of him, it was that very independence and ferocity that made him flee.

The things he treasured about Levi pulled the Omega away from him, and the Alpha was left reeling in his wake. He fought the urge to text Levi, ask him how he was, ask if he could see him. The Omega had only just left, and if Eren tried to force himself on Levi now he would just put more distance between them. It took all of his willpower not to snatch up his phone and beg the Omega shamelessly to go out with him. Eren ate breakfast, and it took about five minutes of standing in his kitchen staring at the walls absently before he realized he would not be able to sit around today. It was Thursday, and he had a jiu-jitsu class that afternoon, which Jean would fuck up ten different ways. When he thought of the other Alpha at the dojo, a predatory smile crossed his face. Jean was forever wanting to fight, everyone, everything.

Today, Eren would be happy to oblige him.

...

Eren walked into the entryway to the dojo, where Sasha sat behind the desk. There were two parts to it, a gym that was open twenty four hours a day that had all the normal equipment, weights, treadmills, mats for stretching, benches. The other section was the actual dojo, a roped off ring in one corner, mats covering most of the floor, wide open spaces for sparring and training. There was some equipment as well, the bare minimum necessary for the various classes that were taught here. Boxing, jiu-jitsu, aikido, general mixed martial arts, among others. It was the dojo he headed for now, Sasha glancing up absently to greet him.

"Hello, welcome to Titan Dojo, how may I- Holy shit, Eren." Her nose was wrinkling, and suddenly the ground was very interesting and she couldn't meet his eyes. "I thought you were going to be gone for a week, at least. You're in rut, you can't be here." She'd answered automatically, despite the obvious signs that Eren wasn't rutting. No Alpha in rut was allowed at the dojo, even if it was just to use the gym equipment. It was too dangerous, like having a ticking time bomb walking around the facility.

"My rut is over. It passed last night." He didn't specify why, didn't have to. The only way a rut passed that quickly was if an Alpha mated, and even if someone didn't know that, one look at Eren's throat or hint of his scent and it would be obvious. Levi had left his teeth marks all over the Alpha, his scent in his skin, and even if the Omega had left he could not take those with him. Eren felt the soreness in his neck, his chest, and relished every twinge, every ache. Every hint of that delicious Omegan smell that would not wash away completely for weeks to come. They were proof that Levi had existed, wasn't some figment of his imagination. The Alpha hoped with everything in him that by the time they had faded, his Omega would be there to put them back. Sasha was looking at him with a shocked expression, eyes darting over the marks on him, mouth hanging open.

"Uh... okay. Eh, c-congratulations? Or something?" Eren had to laugh at her, couldn't stop himself.

"Sure. Thanks. But I need to talk to you, Sasha." Her brows furrowed, and she looked like she wanted to disappear under the desk.

"A-about what?"

"About running from an Alpha in rut. You know better than that shit. If you didn't work around them it would be different, wouldn't matter, but you work at a fucking dojo! Over half of our clients are Alphas! What the fuck were you thinking?" Eren's voice stayed calm and he kept his eyes averted, but he was gesturing with his hands, and she was shrinking more with every word.

"I was thinking that I was gonna die! I couldn't make it up to your door, and your stupid rut scent was so strong that I wanted to piss my fucking pants! It's not my fault! No one smells like that! I've never been so terrified! Jesus, Eren, I'm never doing you any favors when you're in rut ever again. You're a fucking monster." The Alpha's smile faltered, words from his dreams snaking through his mind. "What kind of a fucking monster is he..." He shook the dark threads of memory away, heading towards the door to the dojo.

"I'm sorry, you're right. But still, don't turn your back on an aggressive Alpha, and definitely don't run from one in rut, okay?"

Sasha just nodded, clearly not wanting to be anywhere near this Alpha who smelled of lingering rut and some unknown Omega. Eren sighed, making his way into the main room of the dojo and heading towards the locker room before anyone noticed him. The dojo was fairly empty so early in the day, only some of the trainers doing one on one sessions with their clients. All the actual classes would be held in the afternoon or evening, Eren's jiu-jitsu group included. The Alpha saw Jean out of the corner of his eye on his way to change, and he felt himself smiling in anticipation. He put on some shorts, leaving his feet bare, along with his chest. Shirts just got in the way, kept fighters from grappling well against each other, got caught on their hands or their face, besides being hot and uncomfortable. He snagged some gloves and a mouthpiece from his locker, but did not put them on yet, just set them aside. The Alpha stretched his legs, his arms, rolling his shoulders, loosening himself up. He knew as soon as he went into the main area that Jean would be harassing him, but he needed to warm up his muscles a little before he tried to do anything else. No amount of stretching was going to clear the faint twinge of strain from his body after an entire day of mating, but it would help some.

When he exited the locker room, Jean and the others were sniffing around, and Eren knew what they were scenting. Omega. The traces of it that lingered on Eren were enough to have them tilting their heads, searching out the source instinctively. Their eyes fell on the Alpha and shot wide at the sight, bruises and bite marks on his throat and chest, the scent of an Omega thick on his skin. Jean was walking towards Eren with with a smirk on his face, and for once the Alpha was glad to see it. Eren wanted to wipe it from his face today.

"Holy fuck, Jaeger. An Omega did that to you?" Eren smiled, couldn't help it. Yes, an Omega did this to me, and fuck, it was wonderful. "I'm surprised an Omega wanted anything to do with you. She must have been pretty fucking desperate if-" Jean was on the ground faster than anyone could blink, Eren's hand wrapped around his throat as he straddled his stomach, a vicious growl coming from his chest.

"You don't talk about my Omega. He's not your fucking concern." Eren seemed to come to himself and backed off, letting Jean climb to his feet and rub at his neck with a scowl on his face. The other Alpha did not bat an eye at Eren's words. 'He' not 'she'. Did not mention Eren saying the Omega was 'his' when the Alpha did not have the bonding marks on his neck or wrists. Knew better, with the feel of Eren's hands still heavy on his throat.

"You're an asshole. If you want to fight, you just need to say so. Don't jump me like that. We're at work, and it's unprofessional, you fuck." Eren smiled, wide and feral, and everyone besides Jean was taking a few steps back instinctively. It was not a happy smile, but a hungry one, and no one wanted it pointed at them.

"Let's fight, Jean. I need to break something. Might as well be you." The others nearby were shuddering, eyes darting away, not wanting to be mistaken for this Alpha's prey. Jean smiled right back, just as predatory, light dancing in his gaze.

"We'll fucking see about that."

A few minutes later they were on the mats, both wearing gloves and mouth guards, and everything in the dojo had ground to a halt as the people training there gathered around to watch. Eren almost never legitimately fought anyone, as he was always teaching, training, demonstrating. It was impossible to teach someone if you just canceled out their every strike, overcame every block, escaped every hold. He would fight Mike from time to time, or Jean, but usually not when anyone was around to watch. Eren didn't like being the center of attention, but he would make an exception today. He needed to lash out at someone, and Jean would do just fine, even if it wasn't this Alpha he was truly upset with. Eren was mad at himself for failing at some of his most basic duties. Failing to keep his Omega happy. Failing to make Levi feel like he belonged. Failing to care for him as he recovered from their mating. A failure as an Alpha. A failure as a lover.

Just a failure.

Eren would not truly be able to forget, but he could be distracted for awhile. For this Alpha, fists and pain were better than anything else.

"You fighting for a set time?" Connie was nearby, the Beta eager to see these two Alphas go at it. Eren shook his head, no, and smiled that dark smile, letting his mouth guard show. There were sharp teeth printed on it, still baring them at Jean even if they were hidden behind soft plastic. He pulled it out briefly to answer.

"We'll fight to submission." Everyone's breath caught, shocked at Eren's words, and Jean was growling. When two Alphas fought, they did not use the word 'submission' to refer to a fighter giving up, whether it was due to a choke hold, or a joint lock, or just being unable to defend themselves adequately. They called it yielding, or tapping out. Not 'submission'. It was taboo among Alphas who fought recreationally, and by telling Jean he would submit Eren was challenging him in new ways. A few of the spectators moved back, giving the Alphas more space without thinking. Connie stuttered over his words for a moment before gathering himself and raising his hands.

"You guys both ready?" There was no spoken answer, just Jean's growl increasing in volume and a nod of Eren's head, accompanied by a smirk he managed to pull off, even around his mouth piece. "Okay guys. Ready? Fight!" He clapped his hands on the last word before backing away. In a formal match there would be bells or a referee on the mats with them, but this was anything but formal.

The Alphas began circling, watching each other's footwork carefully. Eren taught jiu-jitsu, and he normally relied on it fairly heavily in his fights. It was an art of control, and fighters could practice at full strength and still usually be able to do the same thing again day after day. The Alpha could defeat his opponents without causing any real harm once he got them in a chokehold or other submission technique. Winning without hurting someone appealed to Eren, which was one of the reasons he liked the sport so much, and as such he would usually try to take his opponent down to the ground as early as possible in a fight. From there he could manipulate his enemy's position until he could get his arms around their throat, or pull their arms or legs into a lock. Then it was either pass out from lack of air, allow your joints to be dislocated, or submit, and in the dojo there was no shame in tapping out.

Winning without hurting someone was not what Eren needed today.

Even Jean was surprised when Eren's fist shot out, and he was barely able to dodge it before another was flying up from the other side. It glanced the side of his face, not really impacting but knocking his head back nonetheless. Jean struck with a fist of his own, trying to land it in the other Alpha's gut while his arms were still extended, only to catch a knee in his own. Air shot out of him in a rush, and then the fight was a blur of punches and kicks, each Alpha ducking and dodging and evading. Jean was careful of his feet, not wanting Eren to snatch one up and toss him on his back. The two-toned Alpha had caught a few of those strikes to his face, and there was a trickle of blood leaking from a cut on his cheek. Eren realized that they could both beat each other ragged and still not finish this fight, and Mike would have his ass if he let Jean bleed all over the mats. He'd worked off enough of his restless rage.

The Alpha waited for Jean to throw his next punch and he ducked underneath the strike, jumping at the other Alpha and wrapping his legs around Jean's waist. Once he hooked his feet together behind the two-toned Alpha's hips, he pulled them both to the ground, laying on the mat on his back. Jean was struggling to escape Eren's legs, trying to pull out of them, but it was too late. The Alpha had his arm under Jeans neck, tilting his head forward, pressing into his trachea and cutting off his air. Eren arched his spine, putting more pressure into the choke, pulling with his legs while Jean struggled to slip out of it to no avail. He was done, the fight was done, but he still had to tap out. To submit, and it rankled after Eren had taunted him earlier. Eren whispered to him, too low for anyone else to hear.

"Submit, Jean." Jean growled in answer, renewing his struggles, but it was useless. "C'mon, horseface. Submit." Eren knew he was an asshole, knew he was taking his anger at himself out on Jean, and even as he did it he couldn't stop. Felt guilty. Couldn't pull back. Needed to hear the words, feel the tap, accept the yield.

Needed victory in this, after suffering defeat at the hands of the most perfect Omega that had ever existed.

It was only as those thoughts went through his mind that he realized he had not wanted to fight Jean to take out his anger on someone. He'd needed to triumph over something, to regain his confidence in some small way. But this was meaningless. Empty.

Forcing Jean to submit to him would not bring his Omega back to him. All it was doing was alienating one of his friends, even if they spent most of their time arguing. He was just about to release the hold when he felt Jean's hand tapping on his bicep, and he let the Alpha go with shame washing over him. Connie sounded out his victory to those watching, who cheered for the Alpha.

"Win for Jaeger, submission due to a guillotine choke from full guard by a bottom fighter. Take notes, my friends." Everyone started to disperse as Eren climbed to his feet, and he called out to Jean.

"Hey, Kirstein." Jean turned around as he was pulling out his mouth piece, taking off his gloves. He glared at Eren, no one but him aware of why he was so furious. They probably thought Jean was angry to have lost, but he'd lost time and time again to Eren. Had never won. Not once. But hearing another Alpha whisper in your ear, submit, in front of a crowd of your peers no less, had Jean riled and hostile. It was disrespect at its most basic level for Alphas, and if did not know he would just lose again, Jean would be striking out at Eren with his fists even now.

"What do you want? You get laid and you turn into a fucking asshole. Fuck off, Jaeger." He was right, and Eren hated him for it, but he still wanted to apologize.

"Listen man, I'm sorry. That was my bad. I shouldn't-" Jean cut him off, voice full of rancor.

"Fuck you, Eren."

The Alpha walked away and all Eren could do was watch. Yet another person leaving him behind with words unsaid in his mouth.

...

Eren's class had been a disaster, all the students unable to get anywhere near the Alpha with the smell of an Omega so heavy on him, instincts telling them to run. Finally Mike had stepped in and sent Eren home, telling the Alpha to stay there until his scent didn't make everyone want to flee the fucking dojo. The Alpha knew his boss would want to talk to him about his Omega at some point, could see the curiosity in his eyes at all those bites, yet no bonding marks, but Mike wisely stayed silent about it. When Eren walked into his empty house, he wanted to scream, lash out at something, break everything within those walls.

All because Levi wasn't there.

After standing in the entryway fuming at himself, he tore off his shirt and went into his guest room, which had training equipment in it instead of a bed. Weights, a treadmill, a mat for stretching. He turned on the treadmill and started running.

Eren ran until his breathing was ragged and sharp. Until his lungs were full of acid. Until he could hear the blood rushing in his ears.

He ran until sweat soaked through his clothes. Until his thighs were trembling under the strain. Until the soles of his feet were hot and aching. Running, running, running, and going nowhere. It was the story of Eren's entire life, and yet there was nothing else to do. The Alpha was useless, and helpless, a failure all around.

So Eren ran some more.


	11. Recall

**Chapter Text**

Warnings: brief mention of a past threat of noncon. Blood. Mentions of violence.

There will be no actual noncon in this story, despite some threats that are made in later chapters.

The pit boss stood in the dirt of the fighting ring, watching with cold eyes as they piled up the bodies of dead Alphas. It stank, probably, but he was immune to the smell at this point. They couldn't afford to have too many death matches, but it brought a crowd like nothing else. Now everyone was gone besides his own men, cleaning up corpses, taking fighters back to their cells. He was looking at his ledger, frowning at the numbers there, willing them to say something other than the obvious. They were barely afloat, let alone profitable enough to expand like he wanted. His subordinate walked up to him, tisking at the blood around them. The boss agreed with him about the filth, if nothing else. He hated to be dirty.

"What is it, boss man?" The boss frowned at his book.

"It's been over two years since we started back up. Profits should be higher than this. We're barely at half of what we were before the raid four years ago."

"People are nervous. Lotta guys went down at the last raid for spectating illegal fights. Three spectating charges and you go down for a good, long while." The boss was shaking his head dismissively.

"That ain't it. Kind of people who watch, they're bloodthirsty, they don't think that far ahead." Silence stretched between them, thick and dangerous.

"Little Omega we had before made us a lot of money." Now the boss was nodding, eyes narrowing.

"Speaking of Omegas, that vicious female we found, the blonde, she ready to fight?"

"We got her on suppressants, they still haven't taken yet. 'Nother week or two, she'll be good to go." The pit boss was still frowning, closing up his book, leveling his gaze on his friend.

"The one we lost at the raid, OSC took him in. We have people in there right now?"

"Nah. They keep ferreting out our informants, charging them, locking them up. We can't keep people in there, their failsafes are too good. We can hack into some of their records. Doesn't do us any good as far as letting us know when their raids are, though. They don't keep that shit online."

"I don't care about that. I want to find that vicious little bastard. I want him back in my fucking pit, tearing these Alphas open, filling my damn pockets. Get someone into those computers. Track that little fucker down for me. What was his name?"

"Levi, sir."

"Levi. Bring that Omega back here. Do whatever it takes. Make it happen."

"Okay, boss man."

"I hate it when you fucking call me that." The man sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Sorry, Kenny."

...

Hange bitched at Levi the entire way home, telling him just how shitty it was for him to creep out of Eren's house without saying a word. Her voice was grating on his nerves, would have even if the words weren't specifically tearing him open. The Omega didn't need to hear it, already knew how much of a coward he was without stupid four eyes telling him. He'd fled the Alpha's house to escape that affectionate stare, only to have Eren's hurt expression burned into his mind. It was worse, those bright green eyes full of pain. Worse than the Alpha looking at him with love in his gaze, even if it frightened the Omega. Too much emotion, too fast, planting itself too deep inside of Levi. He felt guilty about leaving before Eren's house had even faded in the distance, but there was no way for him to go back, not with all the shadows dancing through his head. It was a foreign thing to him, trying to evade a problem instead of solve it. Levi wasn't used to running from anything, anyone. Faced everything in his life head on, no hesitation, no second thoughts. No regrets.

Until now.

He regretted running away from Eren, leaving him standing in his own doorway yet looking so _lost._ Afraid of nothing, yet looking terrified. This Alpha who could destroy anything that got in his way underneath those vicious fists, and the sight of the Omega leaving had broken him into pieces. Broken him when he seemed so fucking unbreakable. But Levi didn't know how to do this, how to let someone close to him. How to give up control. How to trust that this Alpha would not just cause him pain. Pain was all he'd known for so long that he came to expect it behind every smile, within every palm, underneath every foot. Wrapped around every word. Laced inside every intention. For years and years, all anyone wanted to do was break him, hurt him, and now...

All Levi could do was break things. Hurt others.

He had become the very force in life he hated so much, nothing but hostility and devastation.

The only redeeming things in his life were his Omegas and the confidence he helped instill in them. The courage he pulled out from deep inside, letting them know that they were no longer victims, that they could be brave. Strong. Showed them that they could face anything. Levi wondered where that bravery and strength inside him was that morning when he had climbed out of Eren's bed to escape his kindness, simply because it was something unknown to him. He had failed in his only duty in life, the only thing he held himself accountable for. Failed his Omegas. Levi tasted bile in his throat at the thought of how pathetic he really was. Tonight Petra and the other two in her group would come to his house, and Levi would have to apologize. Tell them he was the worst kind of hypocrite, someone who said one thing and did another. Now he had to let them look at his bites and his bruises and try to tell those girls the truth that he did not want to admit to himself.

That the Omega had loved every moment of it, and even now he wished he was wrapped up in those arms. That there was truly nothing to be afraid of as long as you chose the right Alpha. Levi had chosen well, and Eren would have bent over backwards to please the Omega, to feed him, to clean him, to care for him.

Would have dragged the moon down from the heavens and presented it to Levi if he had asked.

Fate had decided to smile on him, and then Levi had spat it its face. Become his own worst enemy, sabotaging his happiness at every turn. _Because you don't deserve it._ Even Levi could not decipher all the things that rushed through him, so many whispers in his head it all just sounded like the wind.

A lack of control.

The foreignness of such blatant affection directed at him.

His own unworthiness, undeserving of this Alpha that was too fucking perfect for words, strong and sweet and _savage,_ in all the best ways. And here Levi was, full of nothing but failure.

As a teacher. As a friend. As an Omega.

Failing to do his _duty,_ time and time again.

Now his muscles were aching, legs unsteady as he stood in the kitchen spooning eggs and bacon onto a plate. Hange made breakfast and came into the living room with it, Levi eying her in confusion. She always helped him recover from his heats, since suppressants did not work on the Omega. Brought him food, helped him shower, supported him when he needed to move around. Today when Levi asked if she would bring him something to eat, she laughed in his face, talking around a mouthful of food like the animal she was.

"If you wanted someone to take care of you, then you should've stayed with your green-eyed Alpha. I'm sure he would've made you whatever you wanted, and brought it to you, and begged to feed you. I love you Levi, but you're stubborn as fuck, so you're on your own this time."

Levi knew what she was doing. _Fucking knew exactly_ what shitty glasses was doing. Make the Omega stumble around, weak and useless, and realize how much easier it would have been to stay where he had been. Warm, and curled up in an Alpha's embrace, one who was aching to please him any way he could. _Begged_ Levi to be his, over and over with a voice full of lust and want. The Omega could hear it even now, a whisper in his ear, _'Let me keep you. Please.'_ So all day long Levi dragged himself around the house, body screaming in protest with every movement, telling him just how wrong it was to want to walk, to stand, to dress. Hange's phone had been buzzing intermittently, and every time it went off she shot a conspiratorial glance at Levi and smirked. She was texting Eren. Had to be, but the Omega refused to give into her goading and ask what they were talking about. That's what she wanted him to do, so he would stab himself through both eyes and cut out his tongue before he questioned her.

About an hour before his Omegas were to arrive he managed to convince her to go to the store and buy some fruit, cheese, juice. Something for them to eat while they talked. _While they talk about you. While they ask you questions about Eren. While they accuse you with their eyes but are too nervous to say what they're thinking._ If anyone else had asked the Omega about his mating, he would've told them to fuck off, but Petra and the others were different. All this time Levi had been telling them that mating was nothing to be afraid of, and then he had gone into a shelter in his red heat. Planned to die. If that did not break their trust in him, he did not know what would. The Omega owed them answers, reasons, explanations. Had to try and make this up to them, somehow. Levi cared more about the Omegas he worked with than anyone else on the planet.

Or he had, before some stupid fucking Alpha showed up to turn his whole world inside out.

Hange had returned and deposited the piled of fruit and assorted snacks on the counter before disappearing into her room, leaving Levi to cut and prepare everything himself. He stood as long as he could, slicing strawberries and apples, peeling and separating orange slices, but eventually he ended up in the floor with a knife and a scowl to finish his work. It took much longer than it should have, even his hands not wanting to cooperate, but eventually he had a tray full of fruit and cheese ready. After cleaning up his mess and carefully carrying the tray to his coffee table, he collapsed onto the couch with a groan. Not five minutes later there was a knock at his door.

"Come in!" It had to be Petra, Nanaba, and Lynne, early as they always were, subconsciously afraid of drawing someone's wrath. Victimized Omegas did it all the time, and if you called them out on their extreme punctuality, they were always genuinely surprised. Hadn't even noticed they were doing it. The door swung open, and only when the person spoke did Levi realize it was not his Omegas.

"Hello, Levi." His eyes shot up, finding Erwin standing before him, looking less ragged than Levi expected after the beating he had taken. The Alpha had a black eye and a busted lip, face still swollen, but not as severely as it could have been. He still managed to look dignified, and that pissed the Omega off for some reason. Erwin sat down in a chair across the room from Levi, sniffing the air just as the Omega was doing. When he caught Erwin's Alpha scent Levi had the urge to tell him to leave, growl at him. Just being close to the blonde so soon after mating with Eren had his instincts riled. Everything in Levi was shouting that he was too close to this Alpha, that he needed to get away from him, and all Erwin had done was say hello. The Alpha was smirking, reading Levi's body language like a book. "Can't even stand to be near me right now, eh?" Levi just shrugged, feeling his anger rise. Erwin had turned GPS on in Levi's phone so he could keep track of him, had come to another Alpha's house and tried to force his way inside, all so he could talk to the Omega. All because he didn't trust anyone's judgement but his own, even if it had nothing to do with him.

"Why are you here, Erwin? I have three Omegas coming here to meet. It's Nanaba's group, and you know how she is. I can't have you making her all nervous." Nanaba was his most withdrawn Omega, could barely stand to be in the same room as an Alpha, especially one as dominant as Erwin.

"Why are _you_ here, Levi? I thought you'd be at that Alpha's house today. Surely he didn't tell you to leave?" Levi was shaking his head, wanting to smack Erwin for asking such a thing. Levi's Alpha was none of Erwin's fucking business. _Your Alpha?_ His fury fell away, replaced by shock at the possessiveness he was feeling, like he wanted to come to Eren's defense in the face of Erwin's words.

"No. I had Hange come get me this morning." Erwin cocked his head, brows furrowing in confusion.

"And he just let you go without a word?" Levi cringed, rubbing his hands up and down over his face.

"He might have been asleep." Now Erwin was cringing, looking truly sympathetic.

"Fucking _ouch,_ Levi. That's cold, even for you." Hange's words came back to him, pairing with Erwin's, stabbing into him. _'That's shitty, even for you. That's cold, even for you.'_ Because Levi was shitty and cold, but was now sinking to new levels of cruelty. Levi tisked at the Alpha, shooting a vicious glare his way.

"Oh, now you're on my ass too, even though he beat the fuck out of you yesterday? I can't catch a break." The blonde sighed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, eyes on the ground. Erwin's eyes were _never_ on the ground, and Levi found his breath catching in surprise.

"He didn't do anything wrong, he was just defending his territory and his Omega. It didn't take long for me to realize that I was to blame here. I interrupted a rutting Alpha in the middle of a mating, it was my fault. I let my emotions get the best of me, something I pride myself on never doing. I came here to apologize." Levi was amazed, but his words coming out fast and venomous.

"It's him you should be apologizing to, not me. He's the one who's house you tried to go in against his wishes. While he was in rut, and me inside in heat. You fucking stupid Alpha bastard, you know better." Erwin was rubbing his hands over his face now, head dropping closer to the ground in submission. Levi almost wanted to take a picture.

"I know, and I will make things right with him, as well. But that's not all I had to apologize to you for." The blonde lifted his gaze, meeting Levi's eyes but without a trace of challenge in his own. "I wanted to tell you I was sorry... for before. For what I said to you about your final heat. I was wrong, Levi. I've never been so wrong. I think you were wrong too, that your decision was not the right call to make, but it still wasn't my place to... to threaten you that way. I know I've told you this a dozen times but it still doesn't feel like enough. What do I need to do to make you believe me? So we can go back to how we were? It's never been the same between us. We used to be friends. I'm not sure what we are now." Levi blinked a few times, unsure what to say, feeling that stare on him. Erwin was waiting, begging him silently to answer, holding his breath. The Omega sighed, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Erwin. I can't just flip a switch and forget what happened. You... you threatened to _rape me._ Made me drop my eyes, forced me into a corner. I still get pissed off just thinking about it. I know you just want what's best for me, but that's the thing, you always think you know better than everyone else. About everything. And sometimes you do. But sometimes you don't, and you don't know when to back down. It's barely been six months since it happened, maybe eventually I'll be able to get over it. I'm still your friend, Erwin, always will be. Just give me some more time." A wry smile came to Erwin's lips.

"Maybe once you bond with that Alpha, you'll be able to forgive me." Levi felt himself bristling.

"Who says I'm going to bond with him?"

"I do. It's written all over your face. The way you're barely holding back from ordering me out of here. Your instincts don't want you around another Alpha right now. Because you've chosen yours, now."

"You don't know anything, eyebrows." Erwin laughed.

"I know I'm about to piss you off, before I go. I did a background check on a Mr. Eren Jaeger." Levi narrowed his gaze on the blonde, found himself rising to his feet, no trace of the unsteadiness he'd been dealing with all day. Levi felt anger like never before filling him. Could taste it like acid in his mouth.

"You fucking what? You're a goddamned psychopath. You can't do a background check on someone without their permission."

"I can if they're involved with a victimized Omega on the payroll of the OSC. I can quote articles and section numbers of protocol, if you want." Levi took a step forward, teeth bared at Erwin viciously.

"Is that what I am to you, Erwin? A 'victimized Omega'? Get the fuck out of here. Whatever you found out invading Eren's privacy, I don't want to fucking hear it."

"He's an Alpha with a staggering amount of self-control who got the better of me in hand-to-hand combat. Why do you think I did it, Levi?" The Omega blinked, some of his anger easing back, though he remained standing.

"You want him for the fucking OSC." The Alpha nodded, and Levi sighed. "He's already got a job. One he's pretty fond of, from the way he talks. Just leave him alone."

"It's not like we go on raids and stakeouts every day, he could keep his job. I think he'd be an asset to our team."

"Your team. Being on your team is dangerous, Erwin. How many men have you lost in the last year? A dozen? Your interest in someone is bad for their fucking lifespan." Those bright eyes glinted, head tilting, canine and amused.

"Protective, are we?" Levi was baring his teeth again without realizing it, and Erwin had the balls to laugh. "I am interested, but I found something troubling in his files. When he was serv-" Levi cut him off.

"Shut it. Right now. I don't want to know, it is not my business, and it's definitely not your place to make it my business. If Eren wants me know, he'll tell me himself."

"Levi-"

"GET OUT! Goddamnit, Erwin. Why are you like this? I thought you wanted to tell him you were sorry." Levi collapsed back into the floor with a grunt. "Get out here, my Omegas will be here any second." Erwin stood, walking to the door with a frown on his face.

"I'm not trying to tell you stay away from him, or keep you two apart. I think he's good for you, probably. But you need to be careful, Levi. He's... been through some things. Some things I'd like to talk to him about. I want you to give him my phone number, see if he'll meet with me. That's all."

"I'll tell him you want to apologize and give him your number. It's up to him if he wants to talk to you. Go away, Erwin. All your fucking plotting and bullshit is too exhausting for me to deal with today."

"I was right about one thing." Levi glanced up, brows furrowed. "I pissed you off before I left." Stupid Alpha smiled, like he was enjoying all this.

Erwin opened the door, almost running over Petra as he did so. He nodded at the three Omegas in greeting before he headed down the driveway, and Nanaba and Lynne were visibly relieved he was leaving. They filed in, shutting the door behind them as they sat down in the floor around Levi's coffee table, greeting Levi without really looking at him as they settled in. Get a bunch of ex-harem Omegas together, and they will inevitably sit on the ground if given the opportunity. Levi had seen it time and time again in Omega halfway houses, recently raided harems, and with his own Omegas, himself included. There's no hierarchy on the floor, no one above anyone else, no posturing, no dominance. Everyone was equal, and even if it was uncomfortable physically there was something soothing about it, a sense of unity. At first he'd tried to fight the instinct, but after awhile he realized it was not negative, or harmful, so he gave up. Now his meeting rooms had pillows on the floor instead of chairs, and his Omegas relaxed that much faster. Levi knew when the girls looked up and caught sight of him, caught his scent thick with that of an Alpha, because they gasped in unison.

"Levi, oh my God. I don't think I've ever seen an Omega look like that after a consensual mating." Petra didn't say anything about the smell, didn't have to. Their noses were wrinkling, shoulders going tense as they took in Eren's scent. Levi just smiled, could feel their eyes taking in all the bite marks on his throat. "Fuck's sake. Are you okay?" Nanaba and Lynne were silent as always. It would be a few minutes before they found their voices, and Petra was mouthy enough for all three of them anyway.

"I'm fine. Listen, before we get into all this..." He looked up, meeting all their gazes in turn. Waited for them to drop their eyes, waited until they looked up again. Only when each girl held his stare for long moments did he move to the next. "I need to apologize to you. I'm so sorry. I went into a red heat, knew it was coming, and instead of finding an Alpha I went to a shelter. Not to mate, but to die. I've spent all this time preaching at you, telling you that mating was not so bad, that you guys are capable of anything, and I was incapable of facing it myself. I'm a hypocrite, and I know how much it must have upset you guys when they told you I wasn't going to be working with you anymore and you figured out why. I don't know how you found out, because the OSC wouldn't have told you anything, but-"

"I TOLD THEM!" Hange was there, bursting into the room and sitting on the floor between Nanaba and Lynne, grabbing a handful of grapes. She always crashed his Omega meetings, and even if it annoyed Levi, it was good for them. The Beta was loud, and outgoing, and totally harmless. For them, anyway.

"Of course you did. Anyway, what I did was wrong. I was..." Fuck, the words didn't want to come out, and they needed to hear them. Needed to hear the truth ringing through them, realize that everyone was scared sometimes. If there was anything in life he was bound to, it was these Omegas, their recovery, their independence. Levi took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, dragged his gaze up. "I was afraid. I didn't want to give up control to some Alpha. But after everything was said and done, there was nothing to be afraid of." He went quiet, unable to force anything else past his lips. Knew Petra had a million goddamned questions, anyway, all of them invasive and awkward and cringe-worthy.

"It's okay, Levi. We know you wouldn't have really let yourself succumb. You had a moment of weakness. We understand." Nanaba. Nanaba was talking, telling him it was okay, telling him she understood, as the other girls nodded in agreement. They looked so fucking _sincere,_ it made Levi's chest ache. Those feelings of unworthiness crashed back down around him, and it was harder to breathe than it should be. Levi's eyes were stinging, and he would tear them from his head before he let these Omegas see him cry. He blinked a few times, about to say thank you, when Petra cut off his words.

"So the Alpha you mated came to the shelter, saw you there, took you to his house." Levi nodded in response. "What is he like? Is he cute? He has to be, if YOU agreed to mate with him. I just can't picture it in my head, an Alpha that you would mate with." These were not the mating questions he had expected from her. His brows furrowed, but before he could answer Hange was pulling out her phone with a squeal.

"I have pictures!" Levi rolled his eyes as she brought up an image of Eren, probably the same one she had sent to his phone, and flashed the screen at the Omegas. "Isn't he adorable?" Nanaba blushed, Lynne smiling at Levi after she saw the photo, but Petra's jaw dropped.

"Oh dear God Levi, he's beautiful. Why are you even here and not at his house? Your mating just finished late last night, I know you're still sore and weak and miserable. Don't most Omegas stay with their Alphas for a couple of days until they recover?" Her vision clouded, and she looked at the bites on Levi's throat again, expression going serious. Petra looked... protective. Angry. He'd never seen her like that before. "Did he ask you to leave? Is he an asshole, or something?"

"Oh, Levi snuck out this morning at dawn while he was sleeping." Fucking. Hange. Levi was cringing, rubbing a hand over his eyes, staring at the floor. Embarrassed. Ashamed all over again. The three Omegas gasped at once again, Petra speaking in a voice that was louder than necessary.

"YOU DIDN'T!" Levi just nodded, pulling his gaze up to face those horrified faces. "That's so mean. I bet he was devastated." _He was._ Levi didn't say anything, just bathed in those appalled looks that he knew he deserved. "Has he called you? Tried to check on you?" The Omega was shaking his head, only to have Hange correct him.

"He's been texting me all day! 'How's Levi? Is he eating? Do you guys have enough food, I can bring him something and leave it on your porch if he doesn't want to see me. Do you have anti-imflammatories, he's probably sore. If you need medicine let me know. Is he moving around okay? I was too rough on him, I feel so guilty. It's no wonder he ran from me.' " Fresh guilt washed over the Omega as the girls gathered around Hange's phone, reading the messages as she scrolled through them. Levi wanted to tell her to stop, but as torn up as he looked it was probably good for them to see that the Alpha was worried. He couldn't even manage to be angry about it. After long moments Petra was looking up, biting her lip before speaking.

"Levi, you broke him! That's so sad! I want to give him a hug, I feel so bad for him." The girls were looking at Levi in shock, gaping, and it took a few moments to realize that he was _growling._ A few more to realize why. Petra said she wanted to hug Eren, and the sounds poured from his throat without Levi even being aware of it. The growl cut off abruptly, and he felt a blush painting his cheeks.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to do that." Petra and Hange were giggling at the display of possessiveness, the Omega calling Levi out on his bullshit just as he would anyone else.

"You've got it just as bad. Why did you leave?" He shrugged, couldn't answer. Couldn't tell them he was incapable of letting Eren be kind to him. Levi thought his Omegas would want to know how long the mating lasted, about the aftereffects, if it hurt, what to expect. He should have known better. Then Nanaba's quiet voice broke the quiet, soft and unsure.

"Can we meet him?" Levi's eyes shot up and she withered under his stare. He had to gentle his expression, take a few deep breaths, process what she had said.

"Wh-why?" If it had been Petra, the Omega would have said no immediately, knowing that she just wanted to ogle the Alpha, make Levi face what he had run from. But Nanaba never asked for anything, would not have dared to do so unless she had a serious reason. The blonde shifted, biting her lip, toying with her nails.

"I-it's just... I mean... you look rough, Levi. Worse than a lot of the Omegas in my harem looked when they came back from a forced mating. I know you're trying to reassure us, but if anything it makes me more nervous. My neck hurts just looking at you, and even reading those messages I can't picture some gentle, caring Alpha tearing you up that way. I-if we could meet him, could see for ourselves that he's nice, it would make me feel better. B-but, it's fine, we don't have to, I don't want to make you uncomfortable... just forget I asked." Levi couldn't. Couldn't forget she'd asked. Nanaba hardly spoke, let alone requested something like this. Then Lynne looked up, hopeful, pleading with those wide eyes of hers. Petra remained silent, knowing that she would only make Levi more likely to say no if she said anything. Levi ran his hands over his face, sighing, knew they had him right where they wanted him.

"He has a job, he might be working today for all I know. I can't ask him to drop everything and come over here."

"Oh, but he's not working! They sent him home! Something about how his scent is still too overpowering for the clients at the dojo where he works." Levi glared at Hange, furious with her for more reasons that he could name. Part of him was jealous that she knew more about the Alpha than he did. Four sets of eyes were locked on the Omega. Hopeful. Anticipating his answer. Levi had lost, and he knew it.

"He's not some normal Alpha. He ruts twelve times a years. He's... overwhelming." Hange's eyes lit up, and that's when Levi realized his mistake.

"He ruts twelve times a year? Oh my God, Levi, I need a blood sample! I need to run tests on that for my fertility studies! Get him over here!"

"Hange-"

"IT'S FOR SCIENCE! If you don't call him, I will. Why wouldn't you tell me about the rutting thing, you're so selfish!" Hange would call him, and if he did not want to come she would go to his house to take his blood. The thought of the Beta seeing Eren in his home alone made Levi want to growl all over again. At _Hange._ Fuck, he was pathetic.

"Fucking goddamnit."

Levi pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found the one Hange had put Eren under. 'Sexy Beast Man.' He rolled his eyes, fingers itching to change the name but then four eyes would be winning, somehow. Levi stared at it for long moments, unable to press the call button with all those eyes on him. He staggered to his feet with a curse, stumbling into his room and shutting the door behind him before he collapsed onto his bed. Hange had put Eren's photo in as the contact photo as well, and those bright green eyes stared at him, wide and knowing. Saw through him, even just from the screen of his phone. Levi could picture them staring down at him from above, looking at him like he was everything there was in life. The whole world. Could hear Eren panting out his name. Feel the ghost of those hands on his skin. The Omega closed his eyes as he tapped the screen, pulling it to his ear, holding his breath as he listened to it ring. Once, twice...

"Hello?" Levi shuddered at that dark voice in his ear, questioning, uncertain. Not believing that Levi would actually call him. It had been less than a day since he'd heard it, but it did strange things to him inside. Made him feel warm, and breathless. There were people talking in the background, and the Omega wondered where he was, who they were, what he was doing. Bit back the questions with sharp, unmerciful teeth.

"Eren. It's Levi." He heard a rough exhale, those background noises fading away into nothingness as though the Alpha was walking away from them. When Eren spoke again, his voice was full of some strong, strange emotion.

" _Levi._ "

Levi knew what it was.

It made him afraid.


End file.
